


Trading It All

by grandmelon



Series: SR Week Feb. 2016 [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fairy Tale Curses, Falling In Love, Happy Ending, Love, M/M, Mermaids, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5940331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grandmelon/pseuds/grandmelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day/Prompt: Day 6/Paper – Fantasy</p>
<p>The tragic love of a child of the sea and a child of the land distorted by betrayal and finally turning into a dreaded family curse. It was a story he knew well, a story forgotten by those above the ocean waves. He promised long ago he’d protect the prince from his fate, it was his duty, his mission, for he was the one he loved, always.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> WOW! OKAY! I’m so nervous about writing this because it’s a developing idea that I’ve had for a while now. It has already changed a lot from my first outlines of it, and is subject to change even more.
> 
> I’m going to try to post at least bi-weekly depending on how much time I have and how the story wants to progress. Although I feel like I should have done something simpler for sourinweek I really want to write this story so I figured now’s a good time as ever. I hope everyone likes it even though it’s just another take on everyone’s favorite Little Mermaid.
> 
> I could not for the life of me decide the title, so here have both!

Trading a Tail for a Pair of Legs

 

He swam with as much vigor as he could, trying to balance the unconscious boy in his arms, trying to keep his head out of the water. Only the faint noise of his companion’s breathing gave him hope as he headed towards the distant shore. Swimming among the gentle rolling waves, their lagoon in sight, he held onto him tighter and swam faster. His hands ached, riddled with splinters of the broken wood from the capsized ship, debris that he had to swim through to save his friend.

 

Still, they hurt little compared to his heavy heart. He rode the coming wave that pushed them up to the outer shore. As its waters pulled away he propelled them forward, his friend coughing and sputtering as the next wave hit them, covering them. He pulled him up further wiggling his way onto the beach.

 

“Rin,” he cried, leaning close to his mouth to hear the soft breaths there. He started coughing violently, but he was still sucking in air. His eyes did not open. “Rin!”

 

He brushed the sand and hair away from his face, his skin cold to touch. His friend’s eyes still wouldn’t open and he feared for the worst when he heard the soft whisper of his name leave his lips.

 

“Rin, I’m here,” he reassured in Rin’s native tongue. “You are home, I taken you home. You are okay.”

 

Before he could hear his response great shouts and cries rang through the air. His head snapped up to the coast and saw the guards running towards them. He pushed himself away from the shore as fast as he could, the cries of the men loud and terrifying as he finally reached a water level he could swim in.

 

Blinding pain struck him then, and he glanced back to see the men coming after him. He swam away on instinct, and it wasn’t until he was far away that he saw the red discoloration floating around his shoulder and felt the substantial weight and tug there. He heard his name being called and saw a flash of silver before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	2. Chapter One

“We’re not supposed to be here,” his friend sighed, fluffy hair now flat against his face. “Besides, a big storm is coming, if we’re on the surface we might get hurt.”

 

“Quit your moaning Kisumi. Rin will be coming home today.”

 

“How do you know that?” he huffed. “Sousuke, I know you care about the prince, but is this really necessary? You two haven’t even seen each other since you were kids. He probably doesn’t even remember you!”

 

“He doesn’t,” Sousuke answered, eyes on the horizon line. The waves were starting to swell and the clouds becoming darker with each passing moment. “Or he doesn’t wish to see me.”

 

“Then why are we out here?” Kisumi whined. Sousuke turned to him, a stern look on his face and his friend flinched, a pout now on his lips.

 

“Because he has no luck with the ocean. The gods of the sea have forsaken him and his family, just as we had been told as children. I have to be there in case something happens.”

 

“Nothing’s going to—is that there’s?” he asked, eyes catching the sight of a ship in the distance.

 

Sousuke spun around and started to swim closer, diving under waves as they started to get rougher, higher. White and frothing bubbles started to form at their tops. Kisumi followed, swimming far under to avoid the violent push and pulls of the waves.

 

When Sousuke stopped Kisumi popped up next to him, both of them swimming carefully to avoid being thrown around by the angered sea. Sousuke frowned when he saw that he could not see the flag with the pelting rain that was starting. A sudden and great downpour washing upon them, thunder clapping above them and bright streaks of light running through the sky.

 

They dove under as a particularly large wave came upon them, swimming through it and to the other side. When they popped up Sousuke could not see the ship again, until the sky lit up with another strike. In the far off distance the light of early day was starting to shine through. The clouds were going in a large sweep, spreading far.

 

“Sousuke, I really hope that’s not their ship,” Kisumi whispered at his side. Sousuke turned to him. “It’s going to burn.”

 

“Burn? It’s raining, there’s no way it’d,” he argued but his voice was drowned out by a large boom traveling across the ocean sky. The sound of shattered wood being the only other thing they could hear. They both saw the boat was indeed on fire, starting with the mast that had been split by devastating lightening.

 

They were not that far from shore, not very long they had to go before they could have been home. Sousuke cursed the seas, knowing it to be true as he swam as fast as he could. They were a cursed line, the Matsuokas, and wind and rain and wave would bring their ships down so the sea could claim them all.

 

“Sousuke!” Kisumi called as he ducked under the water to follow him.

 

The closer Sousuke got the more he feared, the fire was engulfing the ship despite the rain, which was no more than a gentle mist now that it was dearly needed. He saw the men abandoning the ship on both sides, and being thrown off their small boats by the crashing waves. The closer he got the clearer he saw the colors of the royal ship, and he knew it was Rin’s.

 

He went under and saw the floating bodies and debris, tumbling and rolling with the sea, falling lower and lower. The boat rocked and swayed with each hit of uncontrollable power, the water flushing more of its contents away. A large and crushing wave hit the boat then, and even Sousuke had to watch out as he was thrown against wood and canvas, but he had no time to worry about that.

 

He saw red being pulled down into the ocean and sped to it.

 

There in heavy clothes was now the hard face of the boy he once knew. He scooped him up and swam him to the surface, not bothering to leave the area of debris. He was not breathing and he had little time.

 

“Kisumi! Kisumi!” Sousuke cried as he swam them around and away from the wreckage. He saw the sight of his friend in the distance and swam to it. Behind them the fire was nearly put out thanks to the waves, but the boat looked far from stable, and would likely not make it home.

 

“He’s not breathing!”

 

“Hold him,” Kisumi ordered and he grabbed Rin’s nose and blew into his mouth. Rin reeled back, choking. His eyes opened for only but a moment before closing again. “It worked!” he squeaked, looking surprised as well.

 

“What did you do?” Sousuke asked, relieved that he could hear Rin’s breath in his ears, swimming hard to keep their upper bodies out of the rolling waves. They had started to settle, no longer capped in white, but they were still dangerous, and in some areas they still broke and rolled in on themselves.

 

“Something I saw someone do during my time on the shore,” Kisumi confessed. “I didn’t think it would work though, he’s supposed to be laying down.”

 

“Well it did,” he answered, not caring about the details. “We need to get him home before he freezes to death.”

 

Kisumi looked at him wearily before turning towards the shore. Sousuke swam on his back, arms wrapped around Rin’s chest, letting his head falling back onto him, face to the sky. He was far bigger now, Sousuke realized, but still so small compared to him. He’d have trouble carrying him home though, if he was one his own. He trusted Kisumi to lead them by voice to the shore, which was a great deal further than he would have liked it to be.

 

The trip was long and tiring, but they made it to the palace’s beach within the day. It was sunset and Kisumi said he saw small boats from the wreckage making it to port, some ways away. Sousuke did not heed them any, too busy pushing and pulling Rin up the sand until he was safe from the water’s waves.

 

When he was sure they were far enough up that the water would not cover him, he checked Rin’s breathing. It was soft, and labored, but he was breathing and that was all that mattered.

 

“We should leave,” Kisumi warned, warily watching the coast.

 

“Soon,” Sousuke said, though he was on his arms next to Rin, gazing down at his face. He removed the hair from his face, pushing it away from his mouth and eyes. He smiled when he saw Rin’s nose crinkle up, and he coughed just a little.

 

“Sousuke I’m serious!”

 

Rin’s eyes fluttered open then, and Sousuke was caught, his heart stopping. He looked confused, and went to sit up, but before he could Sousuke and Kisumi were already back in the sea, swimming away. Sousuke gazed with a great longing at the light of the sky, distorted by the ocean’s waves.

 

They swam deeper.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Seven mornings he has come, and five afternoons,” Sousuke sighed longingly, watching his prince pace the length of the beach once more. He leaned his cheek against the grainy rocks he was pressed against. The water was gentle that day, and the rocks he laid against were hidden enough from the shore that he would not be spotted.

 

“And seven full days you have,” Kisumi chided. “Sousuke, you know it’s dangerous to be above the water, especially here. This kingdom hates us, we are only monsters to them.”

 

Sousuke ignored him, eyes trained on the figure in the distance, sitting down on the shore and looking out. His heart leapt at the thought that perhaps, just maybe, he was looking for him. That maybe he had remembered him, but he knew that was not to be. If had truly wanted to see Sousuke, he would have returned to their lagoon.

 

“Kisumi,” he breathed.

 

“No,” he interjected, already knowing what was on his mind. “No, Sousuke that’s an awful idea.”

 

Two figures in the distance came walking up to Rin and Sousuke sunk back under the water, knowing that he was leaving. Kisumi followed and they started to swim back away from the costal line, their home much farther down and away. He looked at his friend and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

 

“Teach me how to become a land dweller.”

 

“No,” Kisumi said, trying to tug his arm out of Sousuke’s grip.

 

“Kisumi, please,” Sousuke begged. Kisumi stared at him, and when he tugged at his arm again Sousuke let it free. He hugged himself and looked away, a deep frown on his face.

 

“I will show you,” he sighed, “but you will not get what you truly seek Sousuke. It is not something we can have.”

 

“You cannot decide that for me,” he argued. “You do not know what it is I truly seek, and you do not know I will fail.”

 

“Things won’t turn out the way you want them too,” he warned.

 

“I won’t know that until I try.”

 

Kisumi said nothing more, knowing reason was useless against him, and began to swim to the west. Sousuke followed, but his mind was heavy with the truths of Kisumi’s words, and the attitude of his friend. Kisumi was a happy and bubbly creature, someone he had known since he was young, though he did disappear for a few years. It wasn’t until he returned that he had learned Kisumi had made a deal with the sea witch, asking for legs.

 

Why he went and returned, he did not know, but he could not give up if there was a way. Not until he was sure his Rin never wanted to see him again would he give up, but he knew that getting close to shore with his tail was akin to asking for one’s own death. He rolled his shoulder at the thought, phantom pain from the spear that had pierced him still there, even after all the years that had passed.

 

The silence between them, or at least, the silence coming from Kisumi did nothing to settle his fears. They swam wide of their home at the base of the sea, though it was a small settlement compared to deep places in the ocean, there was still a chance of running into someone who’d try and stop them. He could not even count how far they had gone, sticking close to the ocean floor as they went.

 

Schools of fish passed them, and a few stray turtles he saw. Little creatures of the sea floor going about their way. It grew dark under the ocean, but he could see just fine as they approached a giant mass at the bottom of a deep drop in the sea level. When he looked up he saw that they were surprisingly close to the port, the shadow of a large boat sailing over them far above.

 

When his sights went back to Kisumi he saw the strange cave on the ocean floor, made of a broken ship, from what it looked. His friend swam through a hole in the rotten wood and he followed, careful not to touch the boards for fear it’d break. Things of the land never lasted long under water.

 

“What’s this? Two of you?” A voice asked, and Sousuke looked at a dark mass in the corner. The sea witch, or so he could only assume, moved closer, and he saw gold lines of light surrounded her, encaging her. “Ah! Kisumi! What brings you back here?”

 

“My friend,” he introduced them, motioning to Sousuke, “has something he wishes to ask you.”

 

“Is that so?” The girl asked. Sousuke could not help but to notice how young she appeared, with flowing brown hair all wrapped around bone. Her voice did not make him recoil, as stories had been told, and she did not look as though she drank the blood of young merfolk. She looked rather average, except for the glowing lights around her.

 

“I wish to be human,” Sousuke boldly asked, swimming forward. “If it is in your capabilities.”

 

The girl hummed, tilting her head with a smile before laying down on the floor of the boat, pillowing her head in her arms. She observed him, and he looked to Kisumi for help, but his eyes were pointed elsewhere. She started to hum a little tune and waved her finger around.

 

“I cannot make you fully human, but I can give you the appearance of one. If it is a woman you seek, you cannot help her bare a child, and if you should get hurt deeper than the skin no land doctor would be able to save you.”

 

“I can live with that,” Sousuke answered and she smiled.

 

“I see, is it for a love?” she asked and he glanced down. “I see, I see. Kisumi hasn’t said much, has he? Then I’ll tell you, you will be given legs, but they will not be permanent unless you settle a condition.”

 

“A condition?” Sousuke asked and she held up a finger to her lips.

 

“True love’s kiss, that is. If you can receive this from someone of the land, your legs will be permanent. I warn you, though, that you must receive the kiss from someone who you love also, with all your heart, or else the kiss will not have power.”

 

“I understand,” he said, fists clenching at his side. There was only one person he wanted to live on the land for, there would be no need to try any others.

 

“And a few other things,” she continued, a pointed look at Kisumi. “If you should touch water connected to the sea after the last drop has dried from your skin, and you have not gained true love’s kiss, the spell will be broken and you will return to your true form.”

 

“How will I know if it worked?” he queried and she gave him a secretive smile.

 

“That’s the question, isn’t it? Lastly, if you should fail, you will return to me at the start of every moon cycle, bearing me great gifts that may be troublesome to obtain,” she finished. Sousuke blinked and looked at Kisumi, whose expression was one of pain. It seemed that the gifts were indeed of great value, if his reaction was anything to go by.

 

“I accept your terms.”

 

“Then,” she cheered, a bright smile on her face, “you shall be an air breather! And breathe water no more! Swim in water no more! Unless you fail your quest of love, my friend?”

 

“Sousuke,” he answered and she held out her hand away from her cage and he grabbed it. A shock of power surged through him and his arm tingled with a bright light, traveling up through him. She blew a bubble and it crossed over to him, encasing his head. He couldn’t speak as he felt his body changing.

 

All he could do was watch as she let go and he was being carried up and away by Kisumi. Legs, he saw, floating along the water currents as he was pulled away. They were strange, and foreign to him, and from that angle looked entirely unnatural. His gills disappeared and he gasped as he was forced to suck in air from the bubble.

 

When they swam far enough away Kisumi brought them to the surface and it popped, and he breathed the ocean air in a way he never thought he would.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke coughed in horrible violent spurts, though he started to learn how to breath as they went on. By the time Kisumi had dragged him up onto the sandy beaches along the sea cliff. Far above, perched on top was the palace and castle of the Matsuoka Clan, who had ruled over these beaches. Sousuke could tell how on edge Kisumi was putting him in plain sight, especially on a stretch of sand the Prince and his guards would frequent.

 

“Sousuke, you must be careful, you must stay safe,” Kisumi ordered him, hands holding his arms in a bruising grip. “Please. It is not easy, and you will have a hard time fitting in, especially in the castle.”

 

“Thank you for your help Kisumi,” Sousuke said, turning onto his hands to try and stand up. “I will keep your advice in mind, but I cannot promise my safety. I will do what I must, but I will not let myself die easily, if only so that you do not have to be alone.”

 

“I am already alone,” Kisumi confessed, watching Sousuke stumble and fall back to the sands, his knees digging into the fine grains. “I am alone, now that you are leaving me too.”

 

Sousuke flinched, looking at him with regret in his heart. The other kept his eyes focused away, trying not to let out the truth. Sousuke was aware of how attached to him he was after the passing of his younger brother, and now he too was putting himself in great danger.

 

“I will return to you Kisumi, if I fail,” he answered and Kisumi looked up into his eyes.

 

“And if you don’t?”

 

Sousuke could not answer, because he did not know what would happen should he succeed. He tried to get back up onto his legs, fully standing before falling onto his backside. He groaned, unhappy with the uselessness of these arms for the lower body. He was not fond of them, but he would have to learn in order to see his prince.

 

A great loud shout echoed across the open air and they turned to see approaching figures running wildly towards them. Kisumi grabbed Sousuke’s arm, pulling him close. “Give up if the prince has a lover, return before you are caught, and you must beware of the land witches!”

 

Sousuke tried to ask him what he meant but he was gone in a sweep, speeding off into the ocean. The cries got louder and he recognized some of the words. It was a shout to get away, but he could not recognize the other cries. He turned and saw the prince running to his side, a sword out and his companions by his side. Sousuke stared up at his regal posture and wild breath, his hair glowing in the light as the wind twisted and curled it.

 

“Are you okay?” A man asked, crouching down to him and Sousuke looked. He turned onto his side and tried to get up, though he stumbled and fell back to the sandy ground.

 

“Okay,” he answered, looking at the three. Rin turned to him then, holding out a hand. He grabbed it and was yanked up, though he lost his balance and started to fall forward. The large man who first spoke to him grabbed him, helping hold him up.

 

The shorter one talked to him in quick, biting words that Sousuke could not understand. He frowned, not knowing what he should say, though he did notice the grip on the handle of his own sword. It seemed that the little one did not trust Sousuke, though he could not blame him. He could only hope for the best, knowing very well that he could be struck down even before getting a chance to talk to his Rin.

 

The crown prince yelled at the other with words he did not recognize before turning to him. He looked worried and smiled kindly at him, speaking fast and comfortable in his native tongue. Sousuke opened his mouth helplessly before closing it again, not understanding.

 

“No understand,” he replied, shaking his head. His knowledge of their language was limited and from a time long ago. He had only known as much as Rin had been able to teach him, and that was very little as they were very young at the time.

 

There was shock on his face for a moment before he smiled again and talked to his friends. The three talked in hurried voices, but he saw the smallest loosen his grip on his sword before letting go. It was then that Sousuke let out a deep breath, unaware he had stopped breathing and feeling uncomfortable at how fuzzy his head felt because of it. All three stopped talking then, and they turned to Sousuke who was holding himself up by holding onto the arm of the large one helping him stand.

 

“Come with us,” Rin said, slowing down in his speech. “We will help you.”

 

Sousuke perked up at that word, for he knew that one well. Rin would ask much help of him when they would play, and he knew that meant he would be safe for the moment. It seemed Rin did not remember him, which he had suspected but it hurt nonetheless. He smiled at the other, bowing his head as was the only custom he knew of humans.

 

“Thank you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't update last Sunday because it's been hectic for me trying to manage this story and my never met au... I will only be posting Sundays so if I miss a week rest assured you will see an update the following Sunday!!! I will do my best to finish this fic as quickly as possible, but until then I hope you like this chapter!

Rin passed the room, feeling a bit antsy about the state in which he found their new and unexpected guest. Sure, he was beautiful and foreign, but that mermaid, Rin couldn’t shake the bad feeling he got seeing it. Mermaids were bad luck and an omen of ill-fortune in his house, but he was unable to capture it. In a way he didn’t want to. He wondered how the disorientated man found himself on the thin strip of sand between their cliff side and the sea, at the mercy of a mermaid no less.

 

“I don’t like it,” Haru said again, now that the stranger was out of sight. He was taken to the baths were Rin had instructed the maids to help him clean up and get dressed. He couldn’t have someone walking around in nothing but their skin, especially when it brought a heat greater than the sun could burn to his cheeks.

 

“Yes, yes, we know already Haru,” Rin sighed, crossing his arms. He tilted his head and gazed out the ornate windows of his grand hall. The sea stretched out before them just past the edge of the rock which they were situated upon in an endless horizon. “But I can’t ignore that the man was being held captive by one of those monsters. It is my first time seeing one, but did you see the grip it had on his arms? There is no way they could be friends, or whatever foolish thing you were spouting back there.”

 

“I said that it was suspicious,” Haru corrected, turning his head away. “But do as you please.”

 

“I will whether you like it or not, just like always,” Rin said, a teasing tone to his voice though as he turned around. Between them stood one of his other closest confidants, looking caught between the two of them. He twiddled his thumbs before scratching his cheek.

 

“Well, it’s good that you saved him?” Makoto offered and Haru clicked his tongue, walking off. “Haru!”

 

“Go,” Rin said waving him off with a smile, knowing Makoto wanted to follow. His friend bowed before leaving, scurrying off of after his oldest friend. They had been together since childhood and where one went so did the other.

 

Rin sighed and glanced out at the ocean again before walking towards the baths. He was bored, and maybe his boredom made it seem as though the stranger had been there for far too long. Rin had so many things to ask, like where he was from, and how he ended up in the hands of a monster from the sea, but he’d keep them to himself for the time being. He felt the stranger deserved a bath and some clothes, and likely a meal too before he could ask him about possible traumatic events.

 

“Ai!” Rin called out, seeing his friend running across the hall with a book in his hand. The poor boy slid, falling on his but before he looked up and saw Rin. He scrambled to get up, smiling and bowing at the other.

 

“Prince Rin! I’m sorry for my haste, I was just trying to get the bookkeeping done like you had wanted,” he explained.

 

“That’s fine Ai, I wasn’t worried about that. I was just wondering if you knew and reliable servants that’d be a good guide for our guest. I’m afraid he might get lost very easily here,” Rin said gesturing for the other to talk with him. “Our guest bedrooms are in good shape are they not? I don’t want to send the man to a dusty room right after bathing.”

 

“Of course they are! I have seen to it myself, and the redecorating in preparation for your sister’s return in the next month,” Ai said with a nod. Rin swung an arm around him, pulling him close in a half hug, laughing at the other’s squeak.

 

“Good, good! You know Gou, she wants everything to look ‘just-so’ and I have no sense of those things. Rooms should have very little in them besides their bed, they are for sleeping are they not?” Rin said exasperated at the clutter his sister loved to have. She would have piles of anything she enjoyed in her rooms, and only her favorite colors were allowed.

 

“Well your sister does seem to enjoy decorations and material things,” the boy agreed.

 

“Which reminds me, I have to buy her a present now don’t I? Ai make sure you talk to my mother about what it is Gou would like and get it done quickly. I don’t want it forgotten again,” Rin sighed shaking his head. It was not as though his sister needed these things, but Rin loved to dote on her, and not a soul in the castle didn’t know it, though he denied it.

 

As they neared the baths he heard loud laughter and giggling. Rin let go of Ai and threw open the door, suspicious of the noises. What he saw was not something he would have expected in all years of his life. The tall stranger was huddled in a corner like a small child, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, telling the women to leave. One of the women was trying to coax him out of the position, laughing at the way he’d flinch away from her.

 

“What is going on here?” Rin asked, voice strong as he walked in, baffled by what he was seeing. All three women shot up in surprise, turning to him before bowing low.

 

“Your highness! Well, we were just doing as you instructed sir, and helping the stranger bathe,” one woman said, her eyes on the floor.

 

“He did not seem to know how to, your highness, so we were just helping him,” another answered, a smile on her lips. Her smile disappeared and she lowered her head more as Rin frowned at her.

 

He glanced over at the man who seemed deeply ashamed, eyes not reaching Rin as he stood up, leaning against the wall, his hands flush against it. A flush came over him when he realized what they had meant. He cleared his throat and turned to the door seeing that Ai was waiting outside still. He cleared his throat again, but the other did not step inside.

 

“Ai!” he barked, finally giving up his politeness. He felt embarrassed and needed to gain control over things again. His friend jumped in his own skin before running inside.

 

“Yes Prince Rin!”

 

“Please tell me what you see here,” Rin said, not glancing back at the sight, though he strengthened his voice to seem stern. He could not believe what he was dealing with, but he could not be lenient on his servants if they were misbehaving, no matter how uncomfortable he was.

 

“Well,” he stuttered, looking at them, “he is quite well endowed.”

 

Rin choked, face on fire by the other’s words. “I mean about the situation you fool!”

 

“Oh! Yes, of course, I’m sorry. The maids are covered in suds, and the guest seems to not yet be finished with his bath,” Ai said, face twisting up in nervous confusion.

 

“Yes, and?” Rin continued, glancing at the group. The stranger was now standing with his back turned to them, head leaning against the stone wall, whispering something to himself.

 

“Huh?” Ai squeaked before looking at them. “Uhm, the guest seems to be corralled in a corner?”

 

“And what would that imply?” Rin asked, pinching the bridge of his nose at Ai’s oblivious nature.

 

“Bullying?” He guessed before seeing the glare Rin threw him. “Harassment! Harassment, your highness.”

 

“Yes, Ai, harassment. And I cannot be showing such disrespect to my guest as to allow him to be harassed in my own palace, now can I?” Rin said nodding his head at the three culprits.

 

“No, your highness! Absolutely not! I will call for a more suitable servant to replace them. You three! Come with me immediately!” Ai ordered, stepping towards the door, holding it open. The three walked out, heads hung in shame, and Ai stepped out shutting the door behind him. Rin stood there in uncomfortable silence for a moment before turning to his guest.

 

“I’m very sorry about that. Ai is a little slow, but he’s a good man and runs the ship behind the scenes so to speak, though he is still in training. Ah, am I speaking to fast again? No matter, let’s get you washed up properly,” Rin said as he crossed the room, grabbing one hand. The stranger followed him across and got back into the tub, looking lost and afraid. “What is your name? I don’t believe you have told me yet.”

 

“Sousuke,” the stranger answered. “Sorry.”

 

“You do not have to apologize,” Rin said with a laugh, sitting on one of the stools, waiting for another servant to come in and take over. “I should be sorry for leaving you with such unhelpful servants. Though, I must say I’m surprised at their impudence. To think they had been tempted to.”

 

Rin’s voice trailed off as he gazed at the body submerged in bubbles and water. He swallowed, seeing how the other was staring at him with a quiet gaze, soft in the eyes and mouth though the corners turned down. He felt self-conscious for his words but realized the stranger likely knew not what he had been saying and he turned away.

 

“Pardon me,” an older man said, knocking on the door as he entered. Rin stood up, grateful for the interruption. “Your highness!”

 

“Take care of him,” Rin ordered heading towards the exit. He heard the splash of water sloshing over the side of the tub and turned to see the stranger against the tub looking at him with desperate eyes. Rin swallowed and sighed. “Please fetch me a chair, and then help our guest get cleaned up.”

 

“Of course,” the man answered bowing and leaving the room. Rin leaned against the wall and let out a smile to reassure the other. The stranger, Sousuke, slid back into the tub, though he kept his eyes trained on Rin as though he’d leave. He thought he owed it to the man to at least make sure that nothing else went wrong, though he was sure there wouldn’t be any more problems.

 

When the servant returned with a cushioned chair Rin took a seat and played with the hem of his sleeves. Curiosity drove him to take glances as the man was helped in his bathing much like a child. And like a child, Rin noticed, his eyes would fall back on Rin, as if to reassure himself things were okay.

 

“No, no,” Sousuke complained, pushing the restricting fabric of the shirt away from him. He clawed at his collar when it was on him, looking at Rin with wild distressed eyes.

 

“Now stay still!” The elder man complained, exhausted by the resistance.

 

“It’s fine,” Rin said waving a hand. “Go find him a loose shirt, one with no tight collar. Anything will do.”

 

When the man left in search of such a garment Rin crossed over to the other again, tugging him out of the restricting fabric. When it was off both hands were around his neck, rubbing there. Sousuke bowed his head a little to Rin, a frown on his lips.

 

“Thank you,” he said.

 

“Not used to it, huh?” Rin asked, making light conversation. “Where are you from?”

 

“Far away,” he answered. “Sea.”

 

“Across the sea?” Rin mused, eyes widening with surprise. He had assumed that he was foreign but to think he was from that far out. “I do not recognize your language, what you speak. What is it?”

 

Sousuke stared at him with a puzzled gaze and Rin frowned, knowing he did not understand. The servant returned with a loose cotton shirt with a collar that could be left untied. He helped Sousuke into it as Rin watched and he did not resist as he had done before.

 

“Good,” Rin said with a smile before walking out the door. “Let’s go Sousuke, I will show you a little of the palace and then it will be dinner time and we shall get you something to eat.”

 

Rin was sure he did not understand that either, but the man followed him anyways. He would have to get him a language tutor, he decided, so that he may discuss the matters of his appearance and where he hailed from. He especially wanted to learn more of the language he spoke in resounding waves of sound that made no sense to the ear.

 

He wanted to learn a great deal about this stranger from across the sea.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Royalty spotted escorting and now having dinner with a penniless foreigner,” a cheerful voice said. “RinRin this is a scandal! But he is quite the handsome thing, and to find him in the clutches of a mermaid!”

 

“Nagisa!” Rin exclaimed, surprised that the other had showed up.

 

He brushed off the words with a scowl before breaking out into a laugh. The other’s laugh was as light and happy as a child’s still, losing none of the mirth Rin remembered from when they were still babes. Though Nagisa was one of the only few of his friends with no high standing birth, he was a good playmate and they had grown close. Nagisa's mother had been his wet nurse and he was very fond of him and his family and gave them higher positions in his castle that no blood had monopoly over.

 

“I heard the news and came as fast as I could! Oh how Rei has been lamenting the fact that you had not captured the mermaid,” Nagisa drawled, laying himself across a chair at the table. He pulled over an unfinished plate of food for himself, not caring about his manners. He pointed his spoon at the stranger who sat at Rin’s right, sipping soup out of the bowl instead of using the spoon.

 

“Ah yes, he doesn’t seem to know any of the proper eating utensils,” Rin said with an amused smile. “You should have seen him eating his with bare hands before, it was quite amusing.”

 

“Where is the stranger from?” Nagisa asked. Sousuke wiped his mouth with the back of his hand instead of the linen napkins and sat up straight.

 

“Sea, far away,” Sousuke answered, making Rin smile. Nagisa glanced at Rin and Rin shrugged, knowing that was all he could get from him.

 

“I have already asked such things as age and where his village is, but have learned little. I do know that his town has very few people there, a lot of them had moved away,” Rin explained, a bright smile on as he saw the excitement in Nagisa’s eyes. Rin was rather proud he could get that much out of his guest. “He also learned a few words of our language, but only a little. From what I gather he came here as a boy and learned from one of the villagers.”

 

“Maybe he’s a fisherman!” Nagisa cheered, eyes going alight. Nagisa loved the burly, drunken sailors of the sea, though he enjoyed their buoyant beards and tales of sea monsters the most.

 

“He certainly has the muscle,” Rin reasoned, looking over at him. “Sousuke, what did you do for a living?”

 

“So that is his name!”

 

“Hand me that pad there, Nagisa,” Rin instructed at the stack of paper he had further away from him. He glanced over at the servants lined against the wall and they sprung forward, carrying away Rin’s finished bowls and plates.

 

Nagisa pushed the paper to him and he got out his charcoal for writing. Ink had been too difficult with Sousuke so they had to reserve with slightly less messy means. He drew a good, in his opinion, rendition of a man with a fishing rod who had caught a fish on the back of a boat. He also drew two men with a long net, just to be sure.

 

“Sousuke,” Rin called, turning the page to him. “Do you do this?”

 

Sousuke gazed at the paper before shaking his head. He held up his hands and made a squeezing motion. “Catch.”

 

“You catch them with your hands?” Nagisa cried, jumping up in his seat and practically laying himself across the table. Rin laughed but pushed him back. “That’s amazing!”

 

“Nagisa, please. You talk too fast for him and your antics might scare the man off,” Rin laughed. Sousuke had pushed away from the table, eyes wide before glaring at the other who had lunged towards him. “He will not be your friend if you don’t settle down.”

 

“No, no! I want to be friends,” he whined, sitting back down in his chair. “But don’t you think that’s amazing RinRin? How can he catch fish with his bare hands!?”

 

“What do you do?” Rin continued, trying to draw different jobs he could think of. Sousuke shook his head before holding up a hand in what Rin was recognizing as his way of stopping him. He looked up and away for a minute before holding out his hands again, squeezing them.

 

“Catch food,” he said and then he drew jagged and curling lines and a crude boat on them. He lifted his arms up vertical and strong. “Protect.”

 

“Protect?” Rin repeated, lost at his explanation. Sousuke frowned and tapped his throat and mouth and then pointed at the drawing again.

 

“Protect, taken home,” Sousuke answered. Nagisa stared at it for a second long before gabbing Rin’s hands in his, a sparkle in his eyes.

 

“He saves people Rin! From drowning!” Nagisa said glancing back at the other and then at Rin shaking his head like he was sure of it. Rin glanced at Sousuke before shaking of Nagisa’s hands and drawing a person in the water.

 

“You protect them?” Rin asked and Sousuke smiled, pointing at the little figure in the water.

 

“Protect, taken home,” he said again, a bright smile on his face.

 

“He must be a skilled swimmer,” Nagisa sighed, one hand on his cheek. “Like when Haru saved Mako from those waves, remember RinRin?”

 

“Yeah,” Rin whispered, eyes fixed on his guest. He held the back of his head for a moment, a headache hitting him stronger than he would have liked. He rubbed the spot and then the back of his neck. “I guess that makes sense, maybe he was an island dweller, that’d explain why the village isn’t small and they fish with their hands. Perhaps the tides sometimes carry people away.”

 

“Yeah! Oh! I haven’t introduced myself,” Nagisa said finally standing up and placing a hand on his chest. “My name is Nagisa.”

 

“Yes,” Sousuke said bowing, though he needn’t do that with Nagisa. “Sousuke.”

 

“Actually, I don’t suppose I introduced myself either,” Rin mused, his eyes widening and he laughed. “I’ve been talking to you half the day and have yet to tell you my own name.”

 

“Prince Rin,” Sousuke answered bowing again with a smile. He sat down in his chair and Rin stared at him, surprised. Nagisa seemed less surprised, but Rin supposed he probably knew it. The Matsuoka name traveled far and it was no secret that he was next in line when he came of age and that his mother was running the country in his stead.

 

“Yes, I am Prince Rin Matsuoka,” Rin said, finishing his introduction anyways. “To think even a small village with a language I’ve never even heard of should know my name.”

 

“Well the fame of Samezuka spreads wide RinRin, there is probably not a soul who doesn’t know your name,” Nagisa praised, poking his cheek. Rin scowled and batted his hand away. “The beautiful Prince RinRin!”

 

“One or the other Nagisa, do not use both,” Rin grumbled, annoyed to hear his childhood nickname mixed with his title.

 

“Yes, yes, RinRin,” Nagisa giggled before standing up. “I’m going to go now, enjoy the rest of your private dinner of two!”

 

Nagisa winked at him before gallivanting off and Rin bit his own cheek, knowing that the other was teasing him. He turned to see Sousuke watching the other leave before turning back to him. His face was soft again, no smile but without looking angry or sad. It was a curious thing, and in a way it reminded him of his friend Haru though his mouth fell in a much flatter line when resting. In a way he felt that Sousuke looked as though he was longing for something, and maybe he was.

 

Maybe he missed home, Rin had no way in knowing just how many days he had been at sea, or how far the mermaid had dragged him. Maybe he had been on a boat not far from their shower before being stolen away. Either way, he was tired, and he was sure his guest was as well.

 

He stood up and told his servants they were finished and instructed one to take him to his bedchambers. Sousuke looked wary at first before he heard the word sleep, which he seemed to recognize. Rin told him he would see him again and promised to learn more about the stranger the following day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy... here we go! I hope it doesn’t feel rushed I did have a bit of a hard time writing this chapter and the final chapters to my Never Met AU. I hope to start updating once a week but I still might not make it, it depends on how much time I have! Either way I hope everyone joys the update!

When the prince woke up that day not a single person in the castle was unaware of his exceptionally good mood. It was well known to the staff, the court, his friends, and most anyone in the palace that their crown prince wore his emotions on his sleeves. Rin did not deny this, though he did find it rather embarrassing to see how upbeat the rest of the castle was when he was in a good mood. None of them asked him about it, but a servant was already fetching his guest from their temporary bedchambers for breakfast.

 

Rin was a simple man underneath it all and liked to have small breakfasts with only a select few people. At his right sat Haru and Makoto, and at his left normally his friends Nagisa and Rei would join them. Ai too, on days he was less busy, would join them. Today however, Rei was held up in his labs, researching some new fish they had discovered in the ocean, and Ai was busy with managerial duties. Nagisa excused himself after having the kitchen staff make him a breakfast basket to take to Rei, insisting that the other needed food or else he’d collapse.

 

Still, none of this damped his mood, since even though he was rather displeased to not share breakfast with all of his friends, he was pleased to have his guest join them at the table. He sat at his left and seemed rather perplexed by the breakfast meal, but greeted them and bowed before sitting down.

 

“Sousuke, I’d like to properly introduce you to my friends,” Rin announced. He saw Sousuke look up and Rin gestured to Haru. “This is Prince Haruka of Iwatobi, through the Nanase bloodline, and next to him is the son of Iwatobi’s archduke and archduchess, Tachibana Makoto.”

 

“Rin, isn’t that a bit of a mouthful? Will he be able to understand?” Makoto asked, watching the other in concern as Sousuke’s eyebrows furrowed. “Hello, Sousuke. We met yesterday, my name is Makoto.”

 

Sousuke looked at him and Rin’s lips formed into a frown as he saw the relief there. He was too excited, he supposed, he should have known better. Haru looked at their guest and mumbled his own name.

 

“Hello,” Sousuke responded in kind and Rin smiled at him.

 

The rest of breakfast went on with silence from their guest and Rin’s less than sociable friend. Rin took it upon himself to catch them both up on all that he learned from the other the day before, and Makoto seemed surprised. Just as Rin had predicted, Makoto seemed much more eager to learn about Sousuke, where Haru seemed set on eating his fish with a scowl on his face.

 

“That makes sense,” Makoto reasoned after Rin told him about Sousuke’s jobs in his old village. “He is exceptionally tall!”

 

“And weighs like a whale,” Haru interjected, the first words spoken in well over a half hour. Rin choked on his food and Makoto stared at the other in shock.

 

“Haru!” They yelled, displeased with his rudeness. Haru just stared Sousuke in the eyes. The insult seemed lost on the poor unsuspecting other, who was staring at Rin with concern for how he had spit up his food.

 

“I swear Haru,” Rin warned, “play nice or I’ll make sure to have the pool drained early this year.”

 

“There is the ocean,” Haru countered but Makoto gave him a steady stare and he turned away. “Fine.”

 

“You’re impossible,” Rin sighed before standing up. He decided that maybe it was a poor decision on his part to bring Sousuke to a usually private breakfast. Haru hated any change and was more often than not trying to smite it back into place. This wasn’t his palace though, so he had no right to shoo-off his guest with rude remarks and cold stares.

 

“Leaving?” Sousuke asked. He saw Haru and Makoto’s twin stares before he nodded.

 

“Come with me,” Rin hummed. “I’ll show you the castle today.”

 

“Escorting a commoner,” Haru muttered, but Rin ignored it. Sousuke stood up and followed him out of the dining room.

 

They went down the great hall which was open to the seaside in a great room of windows. It was a large and beautiful room with a Rin’s favorite aspect of the palace besides it’s great outer pool. Against the inner wall, opening up on the other side where the servants worked entered it, was a great tank full of fish and coral and sand. It was large and made of very thick glass, and held all kinds of amazing fish they found in their seas.                            

 

“This is the great hall,” Rin explained. “We hold many parties here.”

 

“Great hall,” Sousuke repeated, staring up at the ceiling. Rin looked up and admired the paintings and ornate gold trim. It was quite beautiful, and took many years to make, but his ancestors were nothing if not ambitious.

 

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” Rin sighed before letting his head drop, his neck beginning to ache. Sousuke’s eyes also fell from the ceiling and to the large glass tank. Rin grinned as he walked over to it, motioning for the other to join him.

 

“This was made by the first king of the Matsuoka line,” Rin explained. “He built this to hold a mermaid, so that when one was captured there would be a place for it. At first you could only see into it from above, and there were large stairs made on the sides to look in. It was taken down in my great grandfather’s time, he had them replace the walls with glass thick enough to handle even a shark.”

 

Rin glanced at the other who had stepped forward, placing his hands on the glass and peering through at the fish inside. It was his favorite thing to show his visitors. Everyone feared the mermaids, and for good reason, but no one was brave enough to think about capturing one. Maybe it was because he saw one with his own eyes but he felt an anxiousness swirling in his stomach as he looked at the giant glass tank.

 

“They used to have to hand clean and pump the water, but Rei’s father invented this machine,” Rin said, pointing at the far corner were a large tube and bubbles were. “It filters the water, and none of the fish get sucked in. It’s an amazing device, though I’m unaware as to how it works.”

 

In the back of his head he knew that the explanations were useless on him, but he couldn’t help but to talk that much. It was in his nature to use words to explain things, and the more anxious he got the more he needed to fill up the silence. They’re physical closeness as he watched the other observe the swimming of their fish made him jittery, on edge, and though he knew the reason he tried to quell the feeling.

 

“Small,” Sousuke answered finally dropping his hands off the glass and standing back.

 

Rin bristled at the insult, biting down on his lips as he tried to suppress his surging irritation. All nervous excitement took a sharp turn to within him. He took a great pride in that tank, as his father had before him. It was a fun and secret past time of theirs, swimming with the fish inside. They always talked about swimming with a mermaid in it one day. Any insult to it now seemed an insult to Rin himself now that his father was gone.

 

“Compared to what?” he spat, losing his composure.

 

“Ocean,” Sousuke answered, looking at him before turning to gaze towards the windows. Rin’s quickening heart stopped, and began to thump slower and harder as it came down. He felt the tension leave his shoulders and he followed the other’s gaze and saw the morning horizon, the sun glistening off the waves.

 

“I,” Rin whispered, eyebrows furrowing. “Well, I suppose it is.”

 

Sousuke walked away from him, drawn to the windows. Rin followed in silence and they gazed out at the cliff side that stretched out before them, dropping before the ocean. Rin watched the way Sousuke gazed out at it and wondered if he was not thinking of home.

 

“Do you miss it?”

 

“Miss?” Sousuke asked turning to him. Rin pursed his lips before shaking his head.

 

“Never mind, I will find you a teacher and ask you again,” he declared.

 

“Teacher,” Sousuke repeated, eyes glazed over for a second. “Learn to talk?”

 

Rin’s breath caught and he let out a blinding grin. “Yes! I will find you someone to teach you how to speak my language, and then we can talk much more.”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“And this,” Rin said as they walked into a great room with large windows on one end, covered with heavy velvet curtains, “is the library. You might find it rather boring, truthfully I do too since there are hardly any tales of adventure in here. But it’s a wonderful place to sit and relax.”

 

Rin turned to his companion, his previous worries about over speaking forgotten during their lunch. It seemed his guest didn’t mind, though he didn’t understand what he was saying. Rin walked further in and to a lounging area tucked in one side around a small section of windows.

 

He sat down against the window seat, and motioned for Sousuke to do the same. He gazed at the other with a grin before looking out the window. He felt Sousuke do the same and grinned as they looked out to the garden. The flowers there were strong and bent with the wind but did not lose their beauty. Large hedges were erected around it to help prevent the sea wind from destroying them.

 

“Pretty isn’t it? Tomorrow we should have lunch in the garden, if the weather is not too bad,” Rin sighed. “I will be very busy I’m afraid, but you must join me for meals. I especially look forward to you learning more of our language, and maybe if I have free time we can go swim in the pool before it is closed since you say that you are good at it.”

 

When Rin turned to the other he flinched in surprise as an outstretched hand touched his cheek. He felt his heart beat quicken as smooth fingers brushed some hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear. He felt the tug of strands caught on his lips being pulled out of his mouth. As quick as the touch came it left, fingers curling back and their owner looking at him with a deep and rueful frown.

 

“Ah, I,” Rin stuttered, not knowing what to say. It was hardly customary for someone to come out and touch him so freely. He brought up a hand to his cheek, knowing that he must have had his hair stuck in his mouth and the other was helping him, but it still felt so strange.

 

“Things to do,” Sousuke mumbled then staring deep into Rin’s eyes. Rin felt his heart tremble for a second, though he did not know why. “Leaving?”

 

“Well—I will be busy yes but I’m not leaving, more importantly you. Well, you shouldn’t touch me so freely, people won’t look at you well if you do,” Rin whispered, not knowing why he felt he had to. He looked out at the library seeing no servants there to have witnessed it.

 

“Touch?” Sousuke asked his eyebrows knitting together and Rin let out a breathy laugh. He brushed his hands against his face, tucking both strands behind his ear before standing up.

 

“That’s right, you probably don’t know what I’m saying. You’ll have to meet with the tutor very soon, starting tomorrow,” Rin continued, rubbing the palms of his hands against his pants, finding them to be rather clammy. He started walking out of the library, not bothering to see if the other was following him. He did, however, hear the click of his boots against the tile floor and knew he was.

 

“My sister will be coming home very soon and there are a lot of things to prepare for that, we’ll be holding a party of sorts. You’ll be invited of course, as my guest, but you probably will need to learn some more customs of ours before that. I’ll make sure to add another tutor for that,” Rin babbled on, walking down the hallway at a brisk pace. He stopped at one intersection before spotting one of his butlers and calling out to him. He saw Sousuke standing some paces away, looking at something outside.

 

“Could you fetch Nitori for me? I need to discuss with him some important arrangements. I’ll be waiting in my study,” Rin instructed, though his eyes were focused on Sousuke. “Also instruct Nagisa to attend dinner with us this evening.”

 

“Of course your highness,” the man said with a deep bow before excusing himself.

 

Rin twisted his hands together, mind working a mile a minute as he tried to distract himself from the tingling of his cheeks. He faltered as he walked up to the other, peering out the window. Following his gaze Rin spotted a flock of birds eating some bread the maids had fed them. “Would you like to take the walk to my study outside? You seem to be much more interested in what’s happening outside than the palace.”

 

Rin teased him, but when Sousuke looked at him and smiled and a knot formed in his throat. He started to walk towards the door that led out into their outer paths. He kept on gazing behind him, watching how Sousuke seemed more interested in the grass and the planted trees than the birds themselves.

 

“Have you seen these types of trees before?” Rin asked, looking at the cherry blossoms. Sousuke shook his head gazing up at them. They were out of season, but still of such an interesting shape. Rin’s mother had them planted in their gardens long ago before he had been born. “These are cherry blossoms. They are much more interesting in the spring. If you stay with us for that long, I’d like to show you them.”

 

“Okay,” he answered and Rin looked at him in surprise. “Cherry blossoms, favorite?”

 

“Yes,” Rin mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “They are my favorite, but how did you know?”

 

Sousuke didn’t answer, instead walking up to the tree and placing a hand against it. Rin watched him gaze up at the branches. A moment of silence passed before Sousuke stepped back and turned to him. Without another word Rin understood they were moving on and he lead them through the courtyard and to the door closest to his study.

 

“You know, I actually had the room moved to one that was adjacent to the courtyard just so that I could see the blossoms blooming in the spring,” Rin carried on as they made their way into his study. It was a smaller room, not as grand as the previous study, but Rin did not care about the size. What he cared about were the window seats and that his desk could look out onto the courtyard and see the petals bloom and fall each year.

 

Sousuke seemed to have used up his words because he did not speak again when Ai showed up to discuss their need of tutors for him. He just smiled at Rin whenever Rin asked him for opinions. Everything went by rather quickly after that and Rin instructed Ai for Sousuke’s lessons to happen while Rin himself was busy with work. Though, he did not explain as to why he wanted it that way.

 

It was not like Ai cared that Rin was rather anxious about not seeing the other, and it was needless information anyhow. He did know, though, that he would have to explain himself to his other friends should they figure it out. The only person he had plans on talking to that night was Nagisa. Despite all of his gossipy and flamboyant ways, he would not betray him if Rin sought him out and told him first.

 

He just hoped he wasn’t discussing things with Haru and Makoto who would surely have objections to his guest’s continuous stay at the palace.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“He did that!?” Nagisa squealed, pulling the down feather blanket up to his nose. Rin nodded, fingers going to brush the hair behind his ears and trying to force down a smile.

 

“Strange, isn’t he? He didn’t even blink at it either. Is that a commoner thing, or maybe a foreign custom?” Rin asked, turning to look at him and pulling the covers over himself as well. It was rare that they’d have their secret sleep overs as they got older, but Rin wanted Nagisa’s opinion on the morning’s events. Though he knew Nagisa had good advice within him, the other was all but asking Rin to marry the man since he began his story.

 

“That’s so romantic RinRin! No one would do that so naturally to a stranger,” he reassured. “Not unless they had feelings for him. Maybe he likes you!”

 

“Don’t be daft, we’ve only just met,” Rin argued, a scowl on his face though his heart sped up.

 

“But you two click so well!” Nagisa cried. Rin curled around his blankets a sighed, hiding his smile before letting out a deep and dramatic sigh.

 

“Maybe so. But still, I’m perplexed,” he admitted.

 

“Perplexed?” Nagisa asked, eyes widening. “By what? Your developing attraction to our foreign friend with a devastating allure?”

 

Rin pushed him off the bed, the other tumbling down with a yelp. “You—You be quiet! He is not alluring, and I am not attracted to him!”

 

Nagisa poked his head up over the edge of the bed waggling his finger. He chided the other before crawling back up into the bed and stealing the blankets from Rin.

 

“Liar! Who do you think you’re talking to RinRin? Besides, I am all for it! He is incredibly handsome, and how he smiles at you—oh it’s like you’re the sun! How perfectly romantic it is,” Nagisa lamented shaking his head, “and here you are, denying your feelings for poor Sousuke.”

 

“Feelings!? Nagisa I have known the man for two days,” Rin explained, holding up two fingers. He crossed his arms with a huff after, settling back down into the bed. “I knew I shouldn’t have come to you about this. I just wanted to tell you before you went off trying to hear the gossip from maids and getting them to spy on me.”

 

“You don’t wish to be spied on while you’re with him? How naughty RinRin, you’ve only known him for two days!” Nagisa teased, a hand covering his mouth to show how scandalized he was. Rin rolled his eyes before sitting up, grabbing pillows into his arms and holding them close. Nagisa followed suit, knowing that Rin was being serious.

 

“He, well he seems nice. And, he is handsome, but he is a commoner and Haru and Makoto are already concerned about it. I don’t know how to tell them that I’m not planning on sending him away any time soon, you saw how Haru was at dinner,” Rin said, rubbing his forehead. He felt a pulsating there, a painful headache growing.

 

“Ah, yeah Haru really doesn’t like him, huh? But Mako seems to like him,” Nagisa said with an encouraging smile. “And what do you mean RinRin? Are you talking about how you are bringing in tutors for him?”

 

“Well, yes, but I offered for him to stay until he could see the cherry blossoms bloom. He agreed, though I don’t know how much of the offer he understood. Next spring is a long way off.”

 

“RinRin is very romantic, and he’s like an animal who only knows to act on instinct. Maybe this Sousuke character is really something important, you know? You told me about your day with him, but how does he make you feel?”

 

Rin frowned before getting under the covers and looking above at the ceiling. He tried to think of what to say about Sousuke, though knowing nothing that would come out of his mouth would be good for him. He couldn’t deny that Nagisa was right that there was something about the other, and maybe even an attraction.

 

“Well, being around him, it’s exciting. But it’s also rather peaceful, and I like how surprised he seems whenever he sees something. I wish I knew where he came from so that I could see how different his world is. The language barrier is difficult and rather frustrating,” Rin admitted. He folded his hands on his stomach, twiddling his thumbs.

 

“And, maybe, he’s a little good looking. He doesn’t seem to mind that he can’t understand me either, he told me to keep talking once today. I had stopped because I didn’t want to continue on and on, but he told me to keep going, not in so many words of course, but it was nice of him.”

 

“You didn’t mention that! And you do talk a lot when you get nervous,” Nagisa added with a few nods, thinking about it. “How sweet of him! Hasn’t a clue what you’re saying, but still wants you to talk. Maybe he’s fallen in love with your voice RinRin!”

 

“Nagisa be quiet, you can hardly fall in love with a voice,” Rin laughed, though his cheeks colored. He did enjoy the sound of the other’s voice as well, the low sound resonating in his ears. He closed his eyes and imagined the mumbling he heard a few times, nothing but jumbled up noises in his ears but somehow sounding so pleasant.

 

“Oh RinRin, you’ve got it bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! I’m going to try doing one every Sunday, but if I can’t you’ll always see one the Sunday after! I hope everyone enjoys the update!

Rin wrapped his hand around the handle of the door, glancing down the hall before slipping inside the room and closing the door behind him. A smile broke out on the prince’s lips as he saw how focused his guest was, neither Sousuke nor his tutor noticing the other’s entrance. He had given Sousuke one of his favorite private studies to practice in. It was far out of the way and easily forgotten by his advisors, who preferred the much larger, grander of studies in the main building.

 

“Your highness!” Aihara, one of Rin’s favorite teachers as a boy, greeted him with a low bow. “I did not hear you enter. Visiting us again this evening?”

 

“I’m just making sure you do a good job Aihara,” Rin teased, feeling his chest swell up as he saw the surprised smile on Sousuke’s face. He crossed the room and sat down on the chaise across from them. They were sitting at the desk, a few odd objects on the table, to help explain things to Sousuke.

 

“Of course your highness,” he replied, a laughter to his tone. “It has nothing to do with how boring your meetings have been.”

 

“Can you blame me for skipping out on them? They’ve been so pointless lately. I don’t understand how I am needed for such trivial things,” Rin answered though in his heart he knew that they were both aware of the truth. It was not that his work had become especially boring after all. It was Sousuke’s fault really, for how could he be expected to sit patiently while there was something far more interesting going on?

 

“Well, it is the job of the prince,” he answered, but said no more. “If you’d wish, your highness, we could finish for the day? Sousuke has had a lot to take in this past week, I’m sure taking the rest of the day off would only serve to help him.”

 

Rin perked up at that, sitting up just a little higher. “Well then let him rest! Sousuke, shall we call the maids to bring us some snacks?”

 

“Sousuke, would you like to eat something?” Aihara asked, glancing at the prince before the other. Sousuke looked at him and nodded.

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

“Very well then. I will send in a maid to bring some afternoon snacks,” he said as he picked up his overcoat off his chair and shrugged it on. “Do you have anything in particular in mind, your highness?”

 

Rin shook his head, and Aihara bowed low once again. “Until tomorrow then.”

 

“Yes,” Sousuke said, standing up and bowing to Aihara. Aihara smiled once more before letting himself out. “Prince Rin, thank you for seeing me.”

 

“So polite,” Rin laughed. He patted the cushion he was sitting on and Sousuke took a seat, closer than was custom though Rin did not correct him. “You seem to be understanding things more!”

 

“Yes,” Sousuke answered with a smile, before it fell into a solemn frown. “Speaking is difficult.”

 

Rin nodded with a sigh. “It is, when I first learned a second language it came rather easy, but speaking was still difficult at the beginning. You will do well though! You’re studying much harder than I did as a boy.”

 

He was aware he was speaking too fast for him, clear in the wrinkles between his eyebrows and the confusion in his eyes, but Rin could not help himself. He leaned forward for a second, placing his palms flat against the cushion beside them. Feeling his finger brush against the dark fabric of Sousuke’s pants made his heart stutter, awakening the butterflies in his stomach. Yes, they were much to close, but he would not correct the other.

 

If he was being honest with himself, he was baiting his guest, just a bit. When he sat up straight again with a smile he knew his hair was just a bit too far forward, too close to his eye and it tickled uncomfortably. He would have pushed it away without a thought if he hadn’t known what he was doing. His fingers sunk into the cushion just a little more as a cool and callused hand brushed the hair out of his face for him, tucking it behind his ear.

 

It had shocked him the first time, and even the second time, but now he just felt warm. A nervous energy coiled in his stomach as he stared at the other, mouth moving of its own accord.

 

“What did you learn about today? I’m sorry I ended your session early, but like Aihara had said it isn’t good to just cram it all in there. Show me what you have learned this week! Come, tell me something in my language,” Rin said scooting away and motioning at him with his hand. He pulled up his leg onto the cushion and turned to face him head on. He saw Sousuke do the same, though his eyes were still confused.

 

“What do I speak?” Sousuke asked and Rin looked confused before he smiled, understanding that he had understood him.

 

“Say anything! Anything at all,” Rin encouraged.

 

“I do not know,” Sousuke sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Rin’s hand twitched to do the same but he held it down. Sousuke’s cheeks colored and he looked at Rin before his gaze fell.

 

“I am happy, you have been so kind to me,” he said in slow and stunted breaths. “I hope to be helpful to you.”

 

“Helpful?” Rin asked, a bewildered smile on his face. “You do not need to be of help to me, but thank you. I’m really happy to have met you too Sousuke.”

 

Sousuke smiled at him, and Rin felt his breath catch at the intensity in which he was looking at him. Rin felt almost uncomfortable staring back into those eyes, they seemed to be the same shades as that of the sea. He looked away, rubbing his forehead for a second, regaining his breath. He felt weak, but not pleasantly so. Perhaps he was coming down with a cold, or he was light headed from not having eaten in so long.

 

As though on cue there was a knock on the door. Rin stood up and ordered them to enter, happy to see a platter of food being brought in for them. The maid placed it on one of the side tables and asked if they would like anything else. Rin told her to take away the cooled lemonade that had been brought and instead to bring hot herbal tea.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Rin,” a soft voice called, stern and void of emotion.

 

Rin lifted his head, unsurprised to see his two best friends letting themselves into his study. He was trying to catch up on some work that had to be done before Gou returned home, but he had yet to finish any of the plans or papers. He felt restless, and tired, and not at all interested in the blur of ink in front of him. He leaned back into his chair stretching his neck as his friends got comfortable.

 

“What are you two doing here? I thought you’d be trying to enjoy the pool, we do close it at the end of the month Haru,” he answered. If Makoto and Haru had noticed how Rin’s jest did not have its usual life and vivacity, then they did not say.

 

“Well, Haru and I are a bit worried about you, Rin. You’ve been shirking a lot of your duties lately, and slipping away when no one is looking. The maids say you’ve been visiting your guest, but isn’t it dangerous to do it at the expense of your work?” Makoto began, looking at his two friends, unsure of his words and stern tone faltering at the end. Rin could tell he didn’t want to start something, and he was too tired to flare up even if he was rather insulted by the insinuation that he could not accomplish his duties as a prince.

 

“It’s of no consequence Makoto, the things I’ve been putting off can be done easily. And if you’re talking about meeting with my advisors the other day, you know how boring that can be. It is not as though we are changing the entire laws of the land. They just want to prattle on about how much money they are making,” Rin answered pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ve grown rather weary of listening to it all when my sister is returning home so soon. Ai is helping take care of her party, but you know Gou.”

 

“Well, yes, I understand how you feel Prince Rin,” Makoto continued, Rin frowning at his title, knowing that it meant the other was serious. “Still, you can’t just put off things you don’t like. You were so serious about being a great king, that it just makes us, well—Haru?”

 

“Worried you’re forgetting yourself,” Haru finished, seeing how the other was struggling. “You’re too focused on this stranger.”

 

“I am not,” Rin said sitting up, frown on his lips. “I’m interested in him, yes, but that’s not why I’ve been slow with my work. I’m just tired of it, stop trying to place the blame on Sousuke just because you do not favor him well.”

 

“Rin,” Makoto pleaded, hands twisting in front of him. Rin sighed and blew out a hot breath.

 

“What’s the problem with me being interested in him anyways? How many men have you met in your life that have been caught by a mermaid? And he’s going to such great lengths to communicate with us! Shouldn’t he deserve at least a bit of my interest?”

 

“Rin, what are you planning to do with him?” Haru asked stepping forward, eyes dark. “What use is it to have him learn our language? You should have already sent him on his way home.”

 

“And how,” Rin laughed, a hollow, mirthless sound, “am I supposed to do that, when I know not where he comes from? He’s hardly an issue or problem of space, and this is my palace I can have whomever I please as my guest.”

 

“We’re not saying you can’t have him as a guest,” Makoto interrupted, stepping in front of Haru a bit and putting up his hands. He shot Haru a hard look before turning to Rin with a sigh. “Rin, really, we aren’t trying to cause problems it’s just that we’re concerned. You seem to be a little, well, taken with the man.”

 

Rin’s eyes widened and he felt a hot flush on his face before he stood up, a scowl on his face to cover up his embarrassment at having been caught. He could not deny that he had more than just an interest in Sousuke, not anymore. But still, to have it called out in such a blatant and negative light set a ferocious fire in the pit of his stomach. “Out, both of you.”

 

“Rin—,” Makoto pleaded but Haru put a hand on his shoulder. They looked at each other once before leaving the room. When the door was shut Rin fell back into his chair and kicked at his desk. He ran a rough hand through his hair and sighed, an anxiety settling in his gut where anger had once been. He knew why they would be worried about that more than anyone.

 

He tapped his finger against the dark wood of his desk and sat up, staring down at the boring tasks laid before him. There was only one thing to do, and that was to get the work done and stop seeing Sousuke during the day. With solemn resignation he began to work on the papers he had been avoiding.

 

As time passed and Rin found it easier to concentrate when he thought that maybe if he got his work done early he could see Sousuke without trouble. Just as he was to finish the first of his duties Rin heard a rapid banging against his door and felt his teeth grind against each other.

 

“Enter!” He yelled and before he could reprimand the disturber a bright but unhappy face came running into the room, the door slamming behind him.

 

“RinRin, I heard about what happened, are you okay!?” Nagisa cried, pulling up a chair flush to Rin’s. Rin was too shocked to say anything as the other grabbed him by his shoulders. “Don’t you worry RinRin! I support you and Sousuke! You two are definitely destined lovers! Don’t listen to Haru and Mako!”

 

“Nagisa calm down,” Rin said, prying his hands off of him. “How did you even hear about that so fast?”

 

“So fast? RinRin it’s been hours,” Nagisa laughed, pointing outside at the setting sun. “Dinner is soon but I wanted to catch you before then.”

 

“You must be lying,” Rin groaned, head falling into his hands. “And here I thought I could finish earlier.”

 

“To see Sousuke? His tutoring ended already RinRin,” Nagisa said shaking his head. “But Mako and Haru will be mad if you keep putting things off so maybe it’s good you staid and worked.”

 

“But how will we get to spend any time together if I am always busy with work?” Rin sighed, leaning back into his chair and gazing at Nagisa. The other gave him a pout before putting his fist up to his chin, thinking. “Maybe this is a sign.”

 

“RinRin don’t be all down and depressed just yet, haven’t I been helping you all this time?” Nagisa asked and Rin remained silent, knowing it was thanks to his distractions that he was able to slip out when he could. He was also aware that Nagisa had stopped Haru and Makoto from figuring out just which study Sousuke had been having his lessons. If they knew they would bother him whenever Rin would go to visit, without fail.

 

Somehow not being able to see him for even a day made Rin feel a sense of dread. He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a dull throb there and sighed. He sat forward, removing the pressure off his head and placing it on his arms. He leaned against his desk as he watched Nagisa spin his wheels over how to remedy the situation. After a minute or two the boy snapped his fingers and turned to Rin with a bright smile.

 

“Of course! Just meet up with Sousuke after dinner!” Nagisa explained, folding his legs on top of themselves and rocking forward in his seat. “Sneak out with him, I’ll make sure that the servants watching your quarters will keep it a secret from Mako and Haru. Then you can meet him and no one will bother you!”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Rin’s heart was thumping in his chest in time with his steps as he walked down the hallways. A single candle illuminated his way in the dark, windowless sections of the palace. Though he had never been there himself, he knew the palace well and counted doors as he walked to Sousuke’s room. Nagisa had made good on his promise, the servants letting him leave without a thought. They had only handed him that with which he lit his path and a small, thickly woven blanket for his shoulders.

 

Stopping in front of the fifth door Rin took a deep breath, trying to still his heart. He knocked on the door, a soft rap of the knuckles against it before stepping back. He heard little to indicate the other had heard him except for the doorknob turning. Rin’s heart leapt into his throat in shock and surprise as the other stood before him in the darkness, looking rather confused and even a bit feral.

 

“Rin?” Sousuke whispered, face softening and opening in his surprise and delight. “Here? Why?”

 

“To see you,” Rin answered in a hushed tone, glancing down the halls. “I missed you today, and we did not talk much during dinner. I wanted, well hoped, you’d like to go for a walk with me? It is quite late however so I understand if you would like to sleep.”

 

“Yes, I want to walk,” Sousuke said before retreating into his room. “Shoes.”

 

Rin stepped into the room, the light from the candle casting a soft and pleasing glow on the place. It was a small room with a short ceiling Rin found, he could not tell much else besides that it had a bed and a dresser. He saw Sousuke sit down and pull on the boots they had given him before returning to him. Rin stepped back out of the doorway and Sousuke followed, shutting it behind him. Rin gazed up at his face, enchanted by his eyes. They seemed to shine in a rather strange and unnatural way, like the iridescent light of sea shells reflecting the sun's rays in the sand.

 

“Rin?”

 

He jumped at the sound of his name, giving the other a shaky smile, spell broken as he looked back into eyes as dark as his in the lighting. He turned around and they began to walk, Rin carefully leading them out of the inner walls. They walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps and the brushing of their arms causing Rin’s hair to rise.

 

“The palace gardens are not heavily guarded, though they do make rounds outside. We won’t be bothered there,” Rin said, following Nagisa’s instructions. It was a smart idea to take him there, where the high hedges would protect them for any wandering eyes. It was not as though Rin did not trust his servants to keep a secret, but he was well aware that some of the staff would yield under Makoto and Haru’s careful and calculating questions.

 

Sousuke did not answer as they exited the palace and crept their way into the center of the gardens. The moon was bright despite being half full and the sea wind, though blocked heavily, still reached them with its bitter caresses. It was beautiful in the way night time near the ocean could be.

 

Rin sat down on a bench protected by some small and shapely bushes to help block the wind off his legs. He made room for Sousuke and smiled as the other sat down next to him. Sousuke looked up at the night sky, but Rin's eyes lingered, following the lines of his profile.

 

“The sky is not different,” Sousuke murmured, hands clasped together. “It does not change."

 

Rin followed his gaze and took in a deep breath as his eyes took in the numerous stars there. A particularly strong gust of wind blew through them, blowing out their light despite its protective glass. Rin pulled his blanket around him tighter, shivering. He felt the other shift and in a moment of bravery and foolishness, he opened his blanket up for the other. Sousuke’s eyes turned to him but he seemed to not understand, causing Rin to bite his own cheek in his embarrassment.

 

“Come closer, it is cold. We can share the blanket,” Rin instructed, shaking his extended hand at him.

 

“Okay,” Sousuke answered, scooting closer to him and hunching his shoulders as Rin reached up to drape the blanket around them. As the fabric began to slide off he caught it with his hand and pulled it down across his chest. Their sides were flushed together like that, and though Rin had begun to feel his skin freeze as he waited for him, he was heating up at an alarming rate.

 

“So, how were your lessons today? Were they hard for you?” Rin asked, eyes focusing in front of him, watching the fallen leaves swirling around on the stone walkways.

 

“Not hard,” Sousuke reassured, shifting ever closer. After a pause he sighed. “A little hard, just a small bit.”

 

Rin felt himself chuckling as he scuffed his shoe against the dirt below the bench, grass absent from the worn down patch. “You seem to be having an easier time talking though, I understand you a lot better now.”

 

“That is good,” Sousuke said turning towards him, his breath warming Rin’s cheek. “I am glad to talk to you.”

 

“Me too, I’m happy we get to talk more now,” Rin answered, turning carefully to avoid bumping noses. They gazed at each other in the dark.

 

“I won’t be able to come by during the day anymore," Rin continued, "I have a lot of things I should be doing. I know it’s getting cold, but if it’s okay with you would you like to come out for walks with me from now on? We will still get to see each other during meals of course, but it feels rather impersonal.”

 

“You must do things to be a good prince,” Sousuke answered with a nod. “I wait for you, always. I would like to walk with you again.”

 

“Then tomorrow,” Rin whispered spinning around to face forward, chilled ears set aflame by his words. He looked up at the sky. “You said the sky has not changed, are you referring to where you came from?”

 

“No,” he answered. “From earlier time. When I was small I did not like stars, my friend taught me to.”

 

“Your friend taught you to like the stars?” Rin asked, making sure he had gotten it right. He felt Sousuke nod. “Why did you not care for them before?”

 

“Did not look up,” Sousuke answered. Rin turned to him, about to question what he meant, but his words stilled on his tongue as he saw the other smile, and then begin to laugh. It was a soft, breathless noise that only Rin could hear. He chuckled to himself too then, a smile breaking out as the other continued to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well!!! Here we go…

“We are alone?” Sousuke asked as he sat down, food for the two of them placed within reach. Rin nodded, taking a bite out of the mix of cut fruit in front of him. The melon bitter but pleasant against his tongue.

 

“No one will be joining us today,” Rin answered, leaving out the reason as to why.

 

He was rather annoyed with Haru’s passive aggressive ways of getting back at him. He would not care so much whether or not Haru showed up to breakfast. The fool often missed breakfast to soak in a bath in the morning, but both Makoto and Haru were absent from breakfast and lunch, and without warning. Nagisa had shown up but for a moment, leaving upon seeing that the others were not there. He told Rin he did not want to intrude on Sousuke and his alone time.

 

“You are not happy,” Sousuke said, eyes trained on him. Rin paused before taking another bite of his fruit and nodding. “I am sorry.”

 

“You need not be,” Rin said waving him off. “Eat, Sousuke, and forget about it. It is nothing to worry over.”

 

Sousuke did not turn away for quite a while but Rin didn’t address him again, instead focusing on his meal. He saw Sousuke finally eat as well before pausing to look at a berry he had picked out of a bowl. Rin watched as Sousuke stared at the strawberry with a great interest.

 

“This is a strawberry?” Sousuke asked. Turning to Rin and holding the berry out to him. Rin nodded, sighing as his face relaxed into a smile.

 

“It is. They used to be treats in the early summer, but I tend to spoil my friends,” Rin chuckled. Sousuke nodded as he considered his words, turning his gaze back to the berry.

 

“You eat them with cream,” Sousuke whispered, “and cake.”

 

He stopped his own walk down memory lane, remembering Nagisa and Makoto's joy over strawberries in fall. His eyebrows furrowed and he sat up a little straight, squaring his shoulders. Something about Sousuke’s words seemed distant, like he was remembering them rather than knowing them.

 

“Yes, you eat them with cake,” he answered him, not surprised but still concerned by the shock in Sousuke’s eyes as he looked at him. Sousuke threw him a disarmingly charming smile then and ate the strawberry.

 

“Sousuke you,” Rin started, though he sighed and let it go, not knowing what he was going to ask in the first place. “Tell me about when you were young, if you can.”

 

Conflict was clear in Sousuke’s sudden frown before he looked down at his food. Rin could not place if it was from memories he did not want to recall, or if it perhaps reminded him of how he was so far from his home. He didn’t want to be insensitive, but Rin had been avoiding the subject for too long now. He wanted to know deeper things about his companion.

 

“I do not know how to say this well, but I come from family with no parents,” Sousuke explained, face scrunched up. “I lived in large group.”

 

“You were an orphan?” Rin asked but realized after Sousuke looked at him that he would not know what that meant. “Did your parents abandon you or pass on?”

 

“Pass on?” Sousuke asked. “They did not go anywhere. Small ones, they are to learn on their own to stay. It is a group, no parents.”

 

“No parents, so you mean no one raised you—taught or protected you?”

 

“Yes, no protection unless with group. I did not stay some times,” he continued holding out his hands. “I hunt by myself, I swam far by myself. Sometimes I was lost. Once I got stuck and hurt, there I met my friend.”

 

“That sounds like a very rough childhood,” Rin admitted, hand going up to his neck rubbing away the tension there. “A friend you said?”

 

Sousuke smiled at him then, soft in both his eyes and mouth. He brought his hands down to his leg and looked there. He ran a hand down the side, glancing up to make sure Rin saw. “Hurt, here. I could not swim back home. There I met my friend who helped me but not knowing me.”

 

“That was kind of him.”

 

“Yes,” Sousuke laughed shaking his head in agreement. He brought a hand up to cover his smile. “Kind, strong, he wants to be a good king.”

 

“A big dreamer, huh? Though that is nice to see in kids,” Rin laughed, imaging the two of them. He understood the sentiment of wanting to be a king when you grew up. Everyone wanted to be royalty, at least once, though Rin found in his later years that it wasn’t at all as easy as he himself had thought as a boy. He had known it’s harsh and mandating life, though he too saw it with the same glamour as any of his servant friends had.

 

“We were good friends, and I swam again. I met with him many times, but he left one time, never came back to that place.”

 

Rin opened his mouth with the intent to give his condolences but his small headache began to pound like the beating of war drums. He held his head, rubbing the front and feeling the dull ache at the back of his head clearer with every second. Rin knew that his headache was becoming too severe and that he’d need medicine for it.

 

He stood up suddenly, turning away from Sousuke and the light of the sun pouring through the windows. Noon was far too bright, he decided, the light was probably bothering him. He had seemed to be getting headaches a good deal as of late, and there had not been much cloud cover in the recent weeks. Rin waved at a servant to come closer.

 

“Fetch the family doctor. Tell him I am have some terrible headaches and need something to relieve the pain,” Rin instructed before turning back to Sousuke. Rin felt a pang of guilt, seeing the other regard him with such blatant concern. “Sousuke, I’m sorry about your loss, and I’m sorry that I have to leave early today. Please take however long you like to finish lunch, if you're hungry ask for the maids to fetch you more. I’m afraid I need to go rest for a bit.”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Rin sat up as he heard the knock on the door, knowing his medicine was coming. The curtains covering the windows let in a thin strip of sunlight, into the end of the afternoon. Already the orange of the setting sun was all that illuminated his room.

 

“Enter,” Rin called and the door swung open, slamming shut as they entered. He was surprised to see not a maid or a butler, but Nagisa standing there with a tray in hand. On it balanced a pitcher and a glass, and a small bottle of medicine with a spoon. “Nagisa, what are you doing here?”

 

“I heard you were sick. I asked to bring in the medicine. You’re supposed to take two spoonful’s,” he answered, not saying anymore as he sat the tray down on Rin’s bedside table.

 

Rin nodded and Nagisa poured him a spoonful of the elixir. He drank it willingly, though cringed and its vial flavor. The purple liquid was poured into it again without hesitance, and Rin tried to swallow it whole to avoid the taste. Once he finished he took a healthy swig of his water, Nagisa pouring him more as he finished off the glass.

 

“RinRin are you alright? You’ve been having headaches a lot since the accident,” Nagisa whispered, being courteous as he knew he could be quiet loud. Rin just drank some more water before laying back in bed, covering his eyes with his arms.

 

“I am alright, but my head has been pounding lately. I feel terrible about skipping out early on our lunch plans, especially when you had gone out of the way to give us some alone time,” Rin mumbled.

 

“Don’t worry about that RinRin! I’m sure Sousuke will forgive you, he seemed very worried when I dropped in on him earlier.”

 

“You saw him?” Rin asked, shifting against his pillows and pulling his arms down to see Nagisa. Nagisa nodded as he gently crawled into the open side of the bed, laying on top of the blankets.

 

“He told me you didn’t look well, and that you had left lunch early. I told him you were probably just feeling a little under the weather and everything is fine, but he didn’t seem convinced. I think he wanted to see you to make sure himself, but instead he told me to tell you that you should sleep,” Nagisa chuckled.

 

“Is that so?” Rin hummed, closing his eyes and willing his body to rest. The pounding in his head was now playing to a gentle beat, irritating but nothing he could not deal with.

 

“But still, I’m really worried RinRin. You haven’t had pains like these since you were little, are you sure you’re okay? You didn’t hit your head again did you?” Nagisa badgered, though voice hushed.

 

“No, the doctor said I had no injuries from the wreckage. I just had a terrible cold after, but nothing special. He even called it remarkable but I,” Rin started, but paused as he held his head. He thought of his delusions of someone saving him and frowned. “I was rather delirious after, and my headaches have increased.”

 

“Perhaps it’s a matter of the mind then? Maybe you were so shocked by the wreckage it reminded you of the past?” Nagisa offered but Rin grimaced and he shook his head.

 

“It has nothing to do with that. Perhaps my brain was rattled a little too much from the waves. Yes, it was probably that,” Rin declared.

 

“Rin, you always avoid talking about that. You know, my sister when she hit her head really bad and started to forget things got a lot of headaches before she started to remember. Maybe you’re trying to remember what happened when you were little?”

 

“Enough Nagisa,” Rin snapped, sitting up and clutching his head. “I am not remembering anything, I have not and cannot, just leave it be. I am sorry I forgot when we were young, I am, but it’s been years already. Just leave it be.”

 

Rin curled in on himself, turning away from Nagisa as he clutched his head, the pounding growing louder in his ears as his heart picked up. It was as though his body was throbbing, and it was hot and uncomfortable. He just wanted it to stop.

 

“RinRin,” Nagisa whimpered before sitting up in determination. “RinRin I don’t care if you don’t remember when we were small, we became friends again so it is fine. But you still wish to remember what happened to your father don’t you? Don’t you want to remember what happened before that day? I know you do! I’ve heard you say it before. Maybe it’s a sign that you are ready to remember what happened RinRin, don’t just write it off as nothing!”

 

“Nagisa it is nothing,” Rin stressed, turning to him with wild eyes. “It is a common headache, and nothing more. I know you have hope for me but we both know the truth. I will not remember what happened that day, or before it. I won’t remember any of those important things. This is just a headache, it means nothing. Please, let it go.”

 

Nagisa’s eyes began to glaze over and he bit his lip, backing off the bed. He stood up straight and puffed up his chest, trying to hold in his frustrated tears. Rin turned away, seeing his fists ball up and knowing it was no theatrics, Nagisa was truly hurt by his words.

 

“RinRin, I’m not the one who won’t let it go,” Nagisa sniffed, tears on the horizon. He turned on his heels and left the room without further prompting and Rin felt water welling up in his own eyes. He laid back down and took in a shaky breath.

 

Nagisa was right, he thought, he could count the restless days of wishing, willing himself to remember, but there was nothing he could do. Years he had wondered what had happened those days, but nothing came from it. He could not, would not remember, no matter all of their methods of trying.

 

He had already given up on the past.

 

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Yes, I’m feeling much better. Thank you,” Rin whispered as they walked down the dark halls. “I’m sorry I have not come these past two nights. The medicine I take has made me terribly sleepy. I’d lay down for a moment and then the next thing I knew sunlight was entering through the drawn curtains.”

 

“It is okay. I am glad you are feeling better,” Sousuke mumbled as they left the palace and into the open gardens.

 

“Come this way, Sousuke,” Rin ordered, grabbing the other’s wrist and pulling him sharply around a corner.

 

There a steep stairway of stone that they carefully made their way down. Further and further they descended until they reached a plateau. Rin let go of his wrist then, though his fingers itched to touch and hold. He walked further into the night, the full moon bright and unhindered by clouds illuminating their way. Their path was clear as they passed under an archway of vines, clinging to wood holding them.

 

They stepped out from under the archway and onto a large and beautiful area of grass encircled by a flat stones. The light made the stones glow in an ethereal light, shades of blues and grays a stark difference from the blackness of the horizon. The night sky was full of light and yet the sea was an inky black accented only by the light of the moon reflecting off it's surface.

 

“This is where we hold grand parties in the summer, but we will have one more for the return of my sister. You will like her, I think. I know she will like you,” Rin hummed, eyes taking a second to look at the other’s tall and strong silhouette.

 

“Your sister is name Gou?” Sousuke asked and Rin nodded.

 

“Yes, have I not mentioned that? She isn’t quite fond of her name though. She prefers to be called Kou now, not that I listen,” Rin chuckled as he walked the expanse of the open field. When they reached the outer ring of stone Rin put up his hand, surprised when the other walked into it. His hand snapped back to him, curled against his chest as he glanced at the other.

 

“Something wrong?”

 

“No—well yes,” Rin stuttered. “We must be careful now, the edge is close. My mother always wanted a stone wall here, but my father disagreed. He said it’d take away from its beauty. But there was another reason, come look.”

 

Rin held out his hand then, tentative and shaking ever so gently. Sousuke grabbed it and Rin stepped forward first, past the stones a few steps before stopping. Sousuke stopped beside him and Rin peered down into the abyss. With the moon so bright the water’s surface was easy to spot, the sound of it beating itself against the cliffside loud in their ears.

 

“It is not as far as it seems right now, my father and uncles would jump from up here down into the water. Well, only when the water was calm that is. I would show you in the morning but, well,” Rin sighed.

 

“Jump? And not be hurt?” Sousuke questioned, looking skeptical and taking a step back. Rin laughed and pulled them away, though he did not drop his hand until they were back to the circle and sitting down on the cold stones.

 

“Well, if you weren’t careful you could be hurt. The cliff goes like this you see,” he explained, angling his arm to show how it tapered. “If you jump when the water is calm you will be fine. You won’t hit any rocks. A cousin of mine once jumped when the sea was not so calm and was thrown against the cliffside himself.”

 

“You jump?”

 

“Well, I have once or twice before. A friend of mine, he’d be worrying himself sick if I did it again,” Rin groaned. “It is all good fun, but it is after all an unnecessary risk. I don’t have to jump, and if I did my mother and sister and friend would all scold me. But maybe someday you and I could do it together! It is too bitter and cold now, but it will be nice in the summer.”

 

“No jump,” Sousuke said shaking his head. Rin laughed but pressured him no more. They both gazed out to sea and Rin felt fingers brushing his hair back into place, the wind whiping it forward. “How do you get up?”

 

“Well there used to be a rope ladder, it was a strange thing it was. They had an anchor attached to the bottom and would throw it down, isn’t that funny? It’s old now, but it could likely still be used, it was a thick and heavy rope. It took a lot of men to pull it back up again. Still, it was rather nasty and ragged last I saw it though. Maybe my mother threw it away,” he mused aloud.

 

Sousuke just hummed, off into his own world again. Rin pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his face against them. He hadn’t felt so carefree since he was a child, sitting there in the dead of night. The sea wind was bitter but their coats and scarves protected them. The nights were getting colder, and they could not go for their walks without them.

 

“You said you don’t have parents? No mother or father?”

 

“No, there were older people who would watch small ones. You learn from eyes watching,” he sniffed, rubbing his nose. Rin watched him pull up the scarf he had given him around his face.

 

“That seems lonely,” Rin confessed, leaning into Sousuke’s side. If the action was to comfort himself or the other, he did not know. Sousuke stiffened underneath the pressure before relaxing and shifting closer.

 

“Not lonely. I had two friend. The boy and another from my home. I did not need others.”

 

“And now you have me as well,” Rin added, a cheeky grin on his lips. Sousuke laughed, but said nothing.

 

The sound of the ocean waves was calming, a familiar sound to Rin. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the salty air, cold, but fresh with a life in it that would never leave. An anxiety churned up in his stomach, but as he felt Sousuke’s hands touch his cheek, he began to calm down. Comforted by what he had learned as the other's strange way of warming him, Rin steeled himself and took another deep breath.

 

“I do not remember my father much,” Rin confessed, holding his legs tighter against him. “He was a great man, I know, but I can’t remember how he looked, what he had said, what we did together. It’s not that I was too young, I just forgot. When I was little I almost died in a ship wreckage, and when that didn't kill me a mermaid tried to drag me back to sea.”

 

Rin took in a shaky breath, looking up at the moon. “They say that mermaids do not forgive those who swim or sail in their waters, and so they take away those who do. They drag them to the bottom of the sea to die. My father and I were on a ship returning home, and we were so close to port it was within swimming distance. Some men had even made the trip back. But my father was not one of them. He had been dragged down by a mermaid, or so they said.”

 

Sousuke was quiet as Rin spoke, but it did not bother him. Tears started to spill from his eyes as he thought to his lost time, his lost memories. The father he knew he loved and yet had no recollection of, the father who only lived in memories he was told. Rin wiped at his eyes, taking a breath in through the nose and sitting up straight.

 

“You’re the only person besides me who’s survived that, maybe that’s why I was drawn to you at first. We’re the same,” Rin whispered, turning aside before getting up to his feet. “We should get going, the sky is beginning to brighten.”

 

The walk back to the palace and Sousuke’s room was without conversation, a heavy feeling between them. Rin rolled his lips between his teeth with each step to their parting, wondering how he could apologize for bringing up something so depressing so late at night. His self reflection came to a stop when they reached Sousuke’s room, Rin watching the other, waiting for him to say goodbye.

 

“Sousuke,” Rin sighed, preparing himself to give an excuse for his behavior. Sousuke stepped forward then, his hands holding Rin’s shoulders, a light, fleeting grip, as if not to hold at all. Rin’s mouth parted in shock as cold lips pressed against his cheek, a frigid nose caressing his skin before letting go.

 

“I am sorry, Rin.”

 

And with that Sousuke left, and Rin stood in the hallway, alone, but with a warmth and a hope growing in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A double update!!! Surprise!!!!

Rin’s laugh was light, blissful and carefree, only obscured by a hand covering his mouth as he gazed affectionately at his friend. A friend, yes, he thinks the other had earned that title. Still, Rin’s heart would speed up when the other smiled, flutter when those hands touched him, jump when he saw the other looking at him as well. He was a friend, but with the potential for so much more in Rin’s heart, and Rin felt a growing confidence that it was the same for his companion.

 

Sousuke grumbled as he pushed the guard dog off of him, the dog licking his face in joy and reckless abandon. The others surrounded him, buzzing with excitement. They had not been so keen about him when Rin first dragged Sousuke along to meet the group. However, Rin and the dogs were good friends and they soon came to understand that Sousuke was an important friend too. After the tension of the initial introduction, the leader of the group had jumped Sousuke, lavishing him with kisses in greetings.

 

“I’m sorry, he’s made that a bad habit after learning from Nagisa,” Rin snickered, trying to contain himself. It was a rare day that they got to spend time out under the morning sun, but he was grateful for it. It wasn’t long until his sister would come home and then all of Rin’s work would disappear, taken over by his younger sister and her willful ways. He was also buzzing with excitement with the knowledge that their time together could be more frequent after.

 

“Strange animals,” Sousuke said as he stood up, brushing himself off. “You like them?”

 

“Yes, I love dogs. If only you came to us sooner, there were puppies running around the palace recently. They grow up too fast though, so now they are rather large, and hard to be around since they have not yet been properly trained,” Rin explained. He got down to scratch behind some of their ears, happy as they licked at his hands. They parted as a large black dog walked over to Rin, licking his cheek.

 

“This one is Winnie. She’s owned by the trainers. She isn’t a guard dog, though she loves to hang around in the pack. She helped me a lot when I was young, a good friend of mine. When things got tough, she was always with me,” he cooed to her, hugging her tight.

 

“Friend?”

 

“Well, yes, when things were tough remembering. She was my first friend after the accident,” he admitted, lips pursed before he motioned for the other to come down to meet her. “Come here and meet her, Sousuke.”

 

Sousuke got down onto his knees, looking at Rin and then the dog. “Hello.”

 

“Winnie this is Sousuke. He’s new to the palace so be nice to him, okay? Sousuke, holdout your hand,” Rin instructed and Sousuke followed orders. The surprise in his eyes was evident, widening significantly when the dog lifted up her paw and put it in his hand before letting it back down.

 

“Smart animals,” Sousuke mumbled. Rin chuckled more behind his hand, enjoying the bewilderment of the other.

 

“I still can’t believe you haven’t seen a dog before, do your people not have pets?”

 

“Pets?” Sousuke grunted.

 

“Animals you own, but don’t eat,” Rin clarified, wondering if that was a good enough explanation. Sousuke shook his head, his neutral expression back in in place, eyebrows relaxing.

 

“No, no pets.”

 

“Then what about animals you see often?” Rin pressed on, standing up and watching the other rise to meet him.

 

“Fish,” Sousuke said immediately before pausing. “Whales, sharks. The white birds.”

 

“Seagulls?” Rin laughed. “You really lived in a fisher community, huh?”

 

“Small things with legs like this,” Sousuke continued. He connected his hands at the palms and moving his fingers as though he was imitating a spider, demonstrating what the creature looked like. Rin stared at them for a second before snapping his fingers.

 

“Crabs!” Rin exclaimed before laughing. He grabbed Sousuke’s wrist and pulled him away from the dogs, leaving them to their lunch. They waved their goodbyes to the animals before entering the palace again. Once they were inside he let go, palm hot and sweaty. They meandered down the halls without anywhere in particular they meant to go.

 

“You are feeling good,” Sousuke hummed, a smile on his face when Rin looked up at him. “I am glad.”

 

“Well, spending time with you makes me feel good,” Rin confessed. Though he did not stutter he felt his face set aflame, biting his lip as he tried to smile at the other. “I like spending time with you. And I’m happy to talk with you, I’m glad you’re learning our language. And you’re picking it up quite quick.”

 

Sousuke’s eyes read surprised but his smile deepened and he looked ahead of them as they heard the sounds of feet. They watched a few servants crossing the halls, all carrying large decor. Everyone of them set on making the palace presentable for the princess’s return. Rin tapped on Sousuke’s shoulder and pointed down another hall before they both slipped out of sight of his servants.

 

“I asked you this before, but I don’t know if you had understood. The cherry blossoms bloom in spring, would you be willing to stay with us for that long?”

 

“Yes. I want to see the cherry blossoms with you,” Sousuke replied, voice steady and sure. Rin’s ears began to tingle and he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling shy.

 

“You don’t have to hurry home? Won’t anyone be waiting for you, or worrying about you?” Rin pestered, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “No wife?”

 

“Wife?” Sousuke asked in confusion. “I do not understand.”

 

“A wife is, well a wife is a woman you are to love for the rest of your life. Usually it means getting married and having babies?”

 

“No, no woman,” Sousuke denied. “No one waiting, either.”

 

“What about your friend? The one from your home?” Rin pressed, folding his hands behind his back and walking a little taller. He tilted his head too look at Sousuke who was gazing at the ground as they walked, a solemn frown in place of his relaxed one.

 

“Knows not to wait. Does not expect me back,” he answered after a long pause.

 

“I see,” Rin hummed, looking forward again. A question was growing in his mind and threatening to spill off his tongue, quickening the beat of his heart. He rubbed his knuckle against his cheek then, glancing at the other, swallowing his anxiety. “Sousuke would you—well, do you like it here?”

 

“Yes, I like it here if you are here,” he replied, eyes gazing into Rin’s, making his breath catch.

 

“Well if—if that’s how you feel, and you need not go home, would you like to stay here? Permanently I mean. I mean, would you like to live here?”

 

“How long?” Sousuke asked in surprised, eyebrows lifting and face softening. Rin cursed himself for using the complicated word, ability to speak escaping him as his heart shook within his ribcage.

 

“Well, forever, if you want,” he said again. Sousuke seemed to understand this much as his smile then was so wide the shine of his teeth showed.

 

“Yes, I want that.”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“And he said yes!?” Nagisa screamed in joy, hands covering his mouth as they tried to keep quiet. “Oh RinRin! He must love you, he must! There is no other answer!”

 

“Or he loves the luxuries here,” Rin said with a rueful expression, though even he could not bring himself to believe that. Nagisa hit his shoulder, a scowl on his face.

 

“Don’t say such things RinRin, not when you don’t mean them. So you are going to move him then? No more with the small guest room?” Nagisa bounced as he asked his questions, skipping down the hallway with him. They were heading towards where Nagisa himself was allowed to live thanks to Rin and his family’s generosity.

 

“Yes, I guess you will be getting a neighbor of sorts,” Rin whispered as they crossed the rooms. “No one has inhabited the rooms here for some time, so I would like to check on them and have them cleaned up. And with you close by, I know Makoto and Haru wouldn’t dare try anything.”

 

“I’ll protect RinRin’s lover at all costs!”

 

“He is not my lover,” Rin bit out, glaring at the other. Nagisa put up his hands innocently putting a finger against his cheek and winking.

 

“Yet!”

 

Rin said no more, though his cheeks were warm. Once they reached the suites Rin opened up one of the uninhabited ones. He was not surprised to see the dust, knowing that the servants were slacking in their duties. There were grand windows on the other side, big enough to illuminate the entire room. Despite its dirtiness it was a much better set up than the dark little cave of a room he was currently in.

 

There was no balcony, but Rin thought that was fine. The drafts from glass doors were terrible in the winter, and he wanted Sousuke to be comfortable. The curtains would need to be replaced, and the bedding as well, but otherwise the room seemed wonderfully bright and new. A hard wood desk, an armoire, a large and handsome ornate mirror mounted on the wall.

 

“This will do perfectly. Now to have it cleaned up, where is Ai? Or perhaps I shouldn’t bother him. After all, he has been running around as though he has lost his head lately,” Rin mused aloud.

 

“We could get it done ourselves! We’ll call the maids and then we’ll help Sou move in!” Nagisa interjected with a sly smile. “We could clean it ourselves but RinRin doesn’t like dust and dirt.”

 

“A prince cleaning a bedchamber,” Rin laughed. “What a thought that is, though perhaps I could stand to make some decisions myself. I am always leaving the decorating to others aren’t I?”

 

“RinRin has never decorated a thing,” Nagisa confirmed, shaking his head. “Except his own room that is.”

 

“Well it’s not as though it is important, we change the palace too often, it’s a waste of time. Still, Sousuke would rather I decorate his room than a stranger, wouldn’t he?” Rin coughed into his hand, trying to hide his excitement. Already he saw sea blues and greens instead of the golds and pale pinks.

 

“Shall we, RinRin?”

 

Rin laughed, but nodded and they were off to find the royal decorator to get together the things as Rin pleased. They sifted through many fabrics that day, and while thinking of bedding Rin had a thought. He requested a quilt made or found depicting ocean life, and for it to arrive as quickly as possible. The room took the full day to clean, the windows open to let out the dust, the curtains and bedding removed, replaced with newer fabrics.

 

Rin even had the mattress removed, finding a newer and more comfortable one to replace it. Nagisa made every joke he could about how it was less for Sousuke and more for Rin when they got together. Rin considered Nagisa lucky that no one had heard or else he would have strangled his friend for the insinuation.

 

It was just before dinner that they had finished, and Rin made the order to move his guest’s things into the new room while they had their meal. He was quite pleased with himself, and Nagisa was in a better mood than one could think possible. The walk to the dining room was particularly upbeat, and Rin was enjoying every step.

 

“Well RinRin, the quilt is now in the making, but besides that what do you think? Will he like it?”

 

“Well I certainly hope he does,” Rin said, although he felt confident he would. He combed back his hair and fixed his shirt. “If he doesn’t I will simply have it fixed.”

 

“RinRin,” Nagisa cooed, “you’re so handsome when you’re in love. Why are you fixing your hair? Nervous? Are you planning to confess?”

 

“Confess?” Rin choked, ignoring the compliment. “Confess what?”

 

“Your feelings of course! You can’t hide it anymore RinRin, you’ve even asked him to stay here. And you know he feels special about you too!”

 

Rin bit his lip, a grin blooming on his face, though he shied away from his friend, looking forward. “You think so?”

 

“I know so!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really, really RinRin,” Nagisa exclaimed. “He loves you, I can feel it!”

 

“How can you be so sure? And how would I even tell him of these feelings?” Rin continued, pausing outside the doors of the dining room. Nagisa crossed in front of him to open the doors, but paused before he did.

 

“You just have to be brave and tell him RinRin.”

 

“Then—then I will, but not now,” Rin said shaking his head and putting his hand over Nagisa’s, forcing them into the room. Nagisa squawked, knowing they could no longer talk now that they could be heard. There at the table Makoto and Haru already sat, Sousuke making his way to his own seat.

 

“Then when!?” Nagisa whispered, regaining his composure.

 

“After Gou’s party, I’ll tell him then,” Rin said, twisting his hands before putting on a smile. “Gou should know before I do something so drastic.”

 

Rin was talking through his teeth to avoid drawing attention but Nagisa nodded anyways. It was not as though Rin could handle taking him as a mistress of sorts, he would only have two choices. To step down, or to brave the consequences, and it was not a decision he could make without her counsel. He knew his mother’s answer, which was always the gentle loving ‘do what makes you happiest.’

 

“Pardon my absence as of late,” a voice called from the other entrance. Rin grinned as he saw Rei crossing over to the table. All of them sat down but predictably Nagisa was attached to Rei’s side.

 

“Oh my love! You’ve made it to dinner at last!” Nagisa cried, throwing his arms around him. Rei grunted, trying to push him off, though it was clear he was amused.

 

“Nagisa please, your manners! We are at the table!” he scolded, displeased with himself for making Nagisa pout but happy that he was in his own chair at last. “I am very sorry your highness. The recent discoveries of the new species of the paraphyletic group have kept me quite busy. They’re fascinating creatures, I think—Nagisa please!”

 

Nagisa was sliding his chair over as close to Rei as possible, a coy smile on as he pretended to do nothing wrong. Rin and Makoto laughed at their antics before Rin noticed Sousuke’s confusion and smiled at him. “Rei, let me introduce you to my guest, and fast friend, Sousuke.”

 

“Ah yes, I have heard much about you, Sousuke—is there no last name?”

 

“No. Just Sousuke,” Sousuke answered, bowing his head to him. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

 

“He has learned a lot hasn’t he?” Rei gasped, pushing up his glasses. He smiled at the other. “And of extraordinary build. Might I trouble you to ask how it was you came to be captured by a mermaid?”

 

“Yes, please do,” Haru said from the other side of the table, eyes hard. “You must know how to tell us now.”

 

Everyone went silent, shocked at Haru’s quiet outburst. Rin felt the tension of the room thicken and saw Sousuke's discomfort grow as he grimaced and seemed to start to close in on himself. Rin felt panicked to remedy the situation, he himself no longer cared to know, knowing it might be painful for Sousuke to remember. Rin stood up, clapping his hands together once to gather their attention. His clasped hands were clammy but he schooled his face to be light, cheerful even.

 

“I just remembered,” Rin lied, looking at Nagisa. “I have an announcement to make. Sousuke, you’ll be moving bedchambers to a far more suitable room in the same wing as Nagisa’s. He’s agreed to fetch you in the mornings now as well, as we know you have a difficult time navigating the halls. Isn’t that right Nagisa?”

 

They had not discussed the second part but Nagisa latched onto it with easy, throwing a smile and an eccentric wave to Sousuke. “We’ll be neighbors now Sou! We’re going to be the best of friends, I know it! When dinner is over I’ll go show you your new room!”

 

“Thank you,” Sousuke said, though he looked shocked by the proclamations. Haru and Makoto were sharing peculiar looks before Makoto scratched his cheek and threw on a gentle smile.

 

“That is great, the rooms there are splendid. Is there a reason for this change?” Makoto asked, letting go of the end, making light of it. Rin swallowed his nerves, knowing the others would have to know sometime. He sat down and looked at his friends, seeing the bright encouraging eyes of Nagisa giving him strength.

 

“Well, Sousuke has accepted my invitation to live here in the palace with all of us.”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Matsuoka!”

 

“What did you just call me?” Rin snapped, turning on his heels to face his friends. “Was me walking away from you not a large enough hint? I don’t want to talk to you right now—either of you right now.”

 

“Rin,” Makoto pleaded, glancing around the corridor to make sure that no one was listening. “It’s just that we’re worried that you might be going a little too far with this. We just want to know that you know what you’re doing.”

 

“I do,” Rin huffed, crossing his arms.

 

“You love him,” Haru stated, an uncomfortable expression left on his face for only a second before it settled down. “What are you planning to do Rin?”

 

“That’s none of your business, seeing as you two have been against him from the start. Sousuke isn’t that bad, Haru,” Rin stressed, shaking his hands towards where the other was likely taken. “He is a good man, and kind. You would like him if you only gave him a chance. I know you hate change, but why are you so suspicious of him!?”

 

“Rin, Haru’s just worried about you,” Makoto interrupted him, taking a step forward to him, hands out in a calming manner. “He is a stranger who could be playing us all for a fool, but then maybe he isn’t. Maybe he is as kind and honest as you say he is, and that would be fine Rin but you’re heading down a dangerous path.”

 

“Do you plan to step down for him?” Haru spat, eyes wide with shock as Rin reared back, unable to give an immediate response. “You are.”

 

“I have not decided anything,” Rin argued, “and even if I did it is not your place to judge me for that. You stepped down from your own thrown.”

 

“I did not want to rule,” Haru countered hands balling up and glare strong. “I am not the one who promised to be a good king, to rule over an entire land since I was born. You are throwing away your dream Rin!”

 

“Rin you have wanted this for ages,” Makoto added, coming to Haru’s aid. “You’ve dreamed of this since you were a boy, to be as great a king, a better king than your father. We don’t want to see you throw it all away for someone you barely know. You’re risking things and so quickly, that is the alarming part Rin. It is not your interest in him, it is what you’re willing to give up for him.”

 

Rin had no words to say to either of them, seething red and frustrated tears building up in his eyes. He knew what it would mean, he knew what he’d be giving up. Still, he could not fight those feelings, not even for his country. He was a Matsuoka, a man of honor, and he’d honor himself first and foremost. He rubbed his hands harshly against his eyes before turning away from his friends.

 

“Thank you for making me aware of your concerns, however I cannot abandon these feelings. I will make a choice and meet it head on, and would be grateful if you two would support me, as my friends and not my allies, when that time comes. Goodnight.”

 

His legs carried him forward, and far away from that hallway. He passed his own bedchambers, making for the door outside and into the garden. The bitter wind turned tears to ice on his skin, shocking him out of crying. His friends were coming from a good place, he knew, but he couldn’t deny how their words hurt. With new resolve he knew that he would tell Sousuke, with or without the blessings of his friends, his mother, or his sister.

 

A gentle and warmer wind, blowing from the castle with the smell of smoke and fire in its midst, caressed his cheeks and he remembered Nagisa. He would confess his love with at least one friend still on his side, and that thought comforted him. He dabbed his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt, ridding himself of the evidence that he wanted anything more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Talk about minor character's death that I insinuated about before..... I'm sorry Kisumi and Hayato.......
> 
>  **A/N:** WELL!!! This past week I decided I didn’t want everyone to go through the suspense of waiting for the updates on these chapters and had some free time so I decided to write…… the rest of the fic…… all of it…… and edit and have it ready to post today.
> 
> Please tell me if there are any glaring mistakes which I’m sure there is likely to be considering I did all of this in three days. A part of me really wanted this to finally be written and done anyways so I had a lot of fun but I hope that it reads well for everyone! Thank you for reading this and I hope these next chapters don’t hurt too much! Remember you can ALWAYS count on me for a happy ending!!!

Sousuke stood near the outer ring of the party, watching as huge groups of land walkers danced and chattered amongst themselves. A few of them were set aside, making music with their instruments that Sousuke could not name. Sousuke could only gaze out at the scene, not sure where to turn after his prince left him. He had been led away by some of his guests flashing him a regretful gaze and telling him he’d be back soon. However, his prince did not return soon, already the sun was beginning to fall in the sky and the air beginning to cool.

 

Sousuke noted that it was a warm day, despite the recent bad weather. Bright and sunny and ready for the princess’s late arrival, who had been delayed. Sousuke had only seen a glimpse of her upon her entrance and saw with much admitted surprise that she was as beautiful and strange as her brother. Rin had expressed his desire to introduce the two of them but seeing as he had been whisked away Sousuke was sure it would have to wait.

 

Parties, he discovered, where strange and uncomfortable. Full of frivolous activities, but somehow so exhausting, Sousuke was grateful that his own people had no such customs. He had never seen such a large group of people even at the palace before. It made his head spin as his ears tuned into the different noises, voices overlapping creating a loud and irritating buzz. Sousuke tried to discretely cover his ears, cursing under his breath at the noise.

 

“Excuse me, are you by any chance Sousuke?”

 

Sousuke turned around, feeling his ears calm down at a familiar yet unfamiliar sound, it's pitch high but pleasing. His breath escaped him as he saw the bright eyes of the young Matsuoka princess standing in front of him. He bowed low, as low as he was shown to do and stood up, a nervousness and a relief filling his chest at her sight. She was, as Sousuke had correctly assumed, as beautiful and enchanting as her brother.

 

“I am, your highness,” Sousuke answered, glancing at her bodyguards who were both large and intimidating.

 

“I hear my brother is quite taken with you,” Gou continued, motioning at the men to back off. They stepped a few feet away, but still close enough to Gou that they needed only to turn and take one large step to return to her side. She then waved at Sousuke, beckoning him closer. Sousuke leaned in and she lowered her voice, glancing out at the crowd.

 

“I hear rumors, you see, and I want to know what’s true. I know brother has been too busy to tell me about what is going on yet, but still I wish to know. You were found in the clutches of a mermaid is what I was told but, forgive me if I’m wrong, were you not speaking in their tongue just now?”

 

Sousuke reared back once the words sunk in and he realized what she had meant. A cold panic gripped at him but she gave him a reassuring smile, placing a hand on his arm to calm him. It seems she realized that she was right by the smile on her lips, his reaction confirming her suspicions.

 

“I see, please do not be afraid. I am no enemy of those who dwell in the water, though I suppose it would be hard to see me as a friend considering my bloodline. Still, I’m surprised! For brother to fall in love with someone such as yourself, I thought he was still hung up on the foolish rumors about father.”

 

Sousuke stared at her finding her to be terrifying, but understanding her well. She spoke in a slow and gentle rhythm, much easier to follow than her energetic brother. He shook his head, hand grabbing hers and pulling it front of them, looking deep into her eyes and praying his feelings would cross to her.

 

“Rin does not know.”

 

There was silence, and after a second Gou cleared her throat and pulled back her hand, Sousuke letting it go. Her eyes flickered at her bodyguards who were both on edge, seemingly worried about Sousuke’s hands on approach with the princess. Still, she made no protest or sign of contempt, for which Sousuke was grateful.

 

“And you don’t want him to,” Gou hummed, stepping away from him. “I don’t know how I feel about that, you lying to my brother.”

 

“I have not lied,” Sousuke argued looking away from her, “but I have not told him everything.”

 

“Nagisa has told me that you have been invited to live here in the palace, do you not plan on returning home?” Gou inquired, changing the subject with ease. She turned herself to look out to the crowd, eyes flicking across the people. Sousuke followed her gaze, watching as other’s began to dance to a lively tune.

 

“No, I do not as long as he wants me,” Sousuke mumbled, a creeping sense of dread growing in his heart.

 

“Well I will not argue with you, but I will say that I think the truth would do you both good. My brother, he has felt a lot of pain over the death of our father,” Gou sighed. “He does not, or rather, he will not remember what really happened. He clings to the words of traitors, that mermaids had taken the ship down. It was mutiny, the whole country knows it but no one will say a word to him. He doesn’t want to remember how those who were protecting them were responsible.”

 

“Why are you telling me this?” Sousuke asked, only half understanding what she was saying. He had known that the ship went down by the power of those on board, he had seen the power of the land walkers's blasts, forcing debris into their waters. He had been cut by the wood of that sunken ship.

 

“Because I need to thank you,” Gou said turning to him. “They said a mermaid was dragging my brother back to sea, but that clearly does not follow any logic. The only explanation was that my brother was saved by it. That mermaid, that was you, am I wrong?”

 

Before Sousuke could respond, terrified by the girl who saw through him, a shriek so loud and painful to the ears that Sousuke shrunk away from it filled the air. They saw the crowd rushing forward on all sides. Gou had bolted forward, her bodyguards at her side and Sousuke stood up, finally comprehending the cries of the group.

 

“THE PRINCE HAS FALLEN!”

 

Sousuke’s heart stopped, and slow, so slow he felt himself moving, tearing off his clothes and running to the cliff. The shirt was gone, his body diving between people, pushing them out of the way. He heard nothing, saw nothing but a blur as he ran. As he broke through the crowd he saw a guard holding down a man and then he saw blue.

 

The blue of the sky, the blue of the ocean below as he dove of the cliff. The fall felt short in comparison to how long it felt running to the cliff’s edge. Icy waters hit him with a powerful sting, his face and arms left tingling. Hot, pulsating light hit him and he lost his breathe in the water, fearing he’d drowned before he felt the familiarity of his gills. Pain struck him and he curled around himself, but when he wrenched open his eyes he saw no longer legs, but a tail in their wake.

 

Losing precious time to his transformation he looked out in the water, seeing Rin being sucked out to sea below. His body twisting unnaturally under the swell. Sousuke swam forward, colliding with him as the waves came crashing forward, ready to throw Rin’s fragile body against the rocks.

 

Sousuke’s tail, powerful and familiar, propelled them up to the top of the waves, luckily gentle compared to their rage in the recent storms. He pulled Rin along, single-mindedly swimming to the nearest beach. In his heart he could only think of finding somewhere, anywhere to have Rin safe and away from that which has always tried to kill him. Away from the waters who have condemned Rin and his family.

 

He heard little except the rush in his own ears, clutching at Rin, trying to keep his head above water as they rounded the cliffside. Sousuke grabbed the sand as they came upon the beach, using his tail and arm to push them up further, further away from the waves. When they were not at risk of them any longer he pressed his head against his chest, hearing nothing, not the flutter of his heart or the sound of his breath. He brushed the hair from Rin’s face, hands shaking as he gazed at his face, lips blue and skin pale.

 

“Rin. Rin open your eyes,” Sousuke choked out before he was thrown off the other. Sand dug into Sousuke’s face, eyes clenching closed as he was roughly pulled away. Rope hooks were now tied around his arms and neck, but he struggled against them, trying to get sight of his love. He saw between large human boots a man on top of Rin, pressing at his chest and blowing air into his mouth.

 

“Rin!” Sousuke cried, out, twisting against his restraints as he was being pulled away. He saw the man pressed their mouths together once more and then Rin was coughing. He did not open his eyes but Sousuke relaxed against his restraints. No longer did he struggle against the castle guards carrying him away.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke wasn't surprised to find that the tank was even smaller than it looked. Though he could not touch one end of the glass and the other it was still far too move around in, and with the added coral and rocks it was even dangerous. Sousuke looked above as a net of thick rope was thrown atop of the aquarium and tied down to the floor. Sousuke grabbed onto it and pulled himself up, staring at one of the guards pulling at it, testing its strength.

 

“Is the prince alright?” Sousuke asked again, and just as before he received no answer. The man did not even look at Sousuke, just continuing his test before getting down off his ladder and leaving him. The hall was empty then, and Sousuke could not find a single soul on either side of the tank. The fish joining him coward, unused to his size and power, a simple bend of his tail throwing them into disarray.

 

Sousuke settled against the sandy floor of the artificial ocean, trying not to move too much for the safety of the small sea creatures. He closed his eyes and prayed that Rin was alright, that he had not been hurt during the fall. He recalled Rin telling him of how they’d jump from that height, but it was different. Rin had not jumped, and he might have hit rocks before Sousuke could have gotten to him.

 

A loud bang vibrated through the tank, causing Sousuke to shoot away. Looking at the transparent wall he was greeted with a furious expression on a normally expressionless face. It was not anger or fear he felt then, but comfort to see Rin’s friends though he knew of their dislike for him. He swam up to the edge again, lifting his head out of the water, holding onto the rope to keep him buoyed without the use of his tail.

 

“Is Rin alright?” He begged for an answer. “Please. He is alright?”

 

Haru and Makoto looked shocked for only a moment before Makoto stepped forward, his hands wringing together. “He is breathing, but we do not know if he is alright. He has not yet woken up.”

 

Sousuke felt his heart tremble as he sank back down into the water. The image of Rin laying on the beach cold and emotionless would not leave him. He pressed his head hands against cruel glass containing him there, far from Rin’s side. He heard the sounds of murmuring from the other side of the glass, Rin’s friends talking to each other.

 

For a disturbing moment Sousuke wondered if Rin would die, but he hardened his heart, knowing that it could not be. Rin would not allow himself to die so easily, not after all these years of holding on. Not when he was so close to achieving his dreams. No, Rin would live, and he would become a great king, he thought. A great king who has finally captured a mermaid.

 

Sousuke opened his eyes then, solidifying within him his new resolve. He would be useful to Rin in this way, though he feared Rin’s deadly love with the ocean. With him stuck in this tank he would never be able to save the prince from his fate. Tapping on the glass awoke him from his thoughts as he looked up to a nervous smile. Makoto pointed up and Sousuke stuck his head above the water, trying to hear what the other wanted.

 

“Sousuke, we know you were just trying to save Rin. We’re going to break you out of here and return you to the ocean, okay?”

 

“You can’t,” Sousuke said, biting his lip as he thought of his chance slipping away. “I need to know Rin is okay.”

 

“But this is your only chance,” Makoto insisted. “The whole country is going to know about you after this, everyone is going to come to the palace to see you on display.”

 

“I have to stay. I have to know he’s alright,” Sousuke insisted shaking his head. “But thank you.”

 

“Why?” Haru asked stepping closer. “Why did you come here? What was your purpose in being here? Why would you not want to return to your home?”

 

“I love him,” Sousuke answered, not missing a beat. He saw the surprise in their eyes before realizing what he had said. He looked up at the sky, wondering if he’d see the stars again. If they could go back to being friends again. “I have loved him always.”

 

“Did you,” Makoto started, drawing Sousuke’s attention back to him. “Did you save Rin that day the ship sunk in the storm?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What about before that?” Makoto inquired, looking with determination in his eyes. “There was a time when we were young that Rin was found on the beach in the hands of a mermaid. Was that you?”

 

“Yes,” Sousuke whispered. The same intimidating pressure coming from those questions as he had earlier.

 

“Makoto,” Haru said then, nodding his head at the approaching guards. Makoto nodded and they left without so much as a word goodbye. Sousuke watched them leave before settling back down at the bottom of the tank, watching the guards walk past as if they noticed nothing and going to the far end of the hall.

 

Outside the sky grew ever darker, but the darkness growing in his own heart was far more terrifying.

 

Rin would be okay, he had to be.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke did not sleep that night, watching in a mindless and empty way as the sun lit up the sky outside. Light blues and yellows clashing with the retreating night sky. It was when the sky grew bright enough that the great hall was no longer a dark and solemn place that he saw a figure coming toward him. A large and billowing dress flowing behind strong legs speeding towards him, hair whipping around as the princess ran.

 

When she got up to Sousuke she placed her hands against the glass, a remorseful frown on her face as she gazed at him. Sousuke smiled at her, trying to convince them both that things were alright. She yelled something at a few servants who were trailing behind her, carrying a large stair like thing that they sat in front of the tank. She walked up to it and soon was looking down into the water.

 

“Your highness!” Sousuke exclaimed as he broke through the surface.

 

“Sousuke, I’m so, so sorry this happened. If only brother had been more careful, now your secret has been exposed,” she lamented, tears building up in her eyes. She wiped at them before letting out a deep breath. “I heard from Makoto and Haru that you won’t leave. I know you must be worried about my brother. He’s in bad condition but he will live. He’s gotten a bad fever from all of this which is stopping his recovery from running smoothly.”

 

“Rin is strong,” Sousuke whispered, trying to reassure himself more than her. She placed a hand on his, tightly wrapped around the netting.

 

“He is, don’t you worry. He will be fine,” she answered with a nod. She let go of his hand then, looking down the hallway. “I don’t know how long I will be able to stay here and talk to you, but I thought it must be lonely being here. I wish you had taken up Makoto and Haru on their offer.”

 

“Your highness,” Sousuke interrupted, a thought building inside, a question that needed to be asked. She looked at him with open curiosity, wondering what it is he had to say.

 

“Go on Sousuke, and please don’t bother with formalities. I’m sure Rin has long since told you the same,” she answered with a smile. “If you don’t have to call my brother by his title than you do not have to call me by it either.”

 

“Gou,” Sousuke corrected, feeling a heavy weight on his tongue. “How did you know before I changed? Even now you are so calm.”

 

Gou’s nostrils flared as she took in a deep breath, a deep frown on her naturally upturned lips. She looked away for a moment before leaning in closer, gazing at the doorways where her servants stood, backs turned to them. “I met one,” she whispered.

 

“A long time ago, but after brother lost his memories. A little mermaid washed up on the rocky side of the cliff. I was out that day with my brother’s friends. Brother often did not want to talk to us at that time. He was very upset with himself for forgetting everything,” Gou continued, a tremble to her chin as she recalled the memories.

 

“The mermaid was too injured to go back into the water. His tail was—well it was a terrible sight and we took him back to the castle in secret to try and fix him up. He was a sweet little mermaid. He was so afraid though. Makoto and him formed a really close bond but then he,” she trailed off.

 

“He was sick,” Sousuke supplied, guessing what had happened. It was not unusual for young mermaids to die from the infections or illness after injuries.

 

“Yes, he got very sick. He passed away not long after. Another boy showed up, much like you had, searching for the mermaid we tried to save. Makoto and Haru don’t know this because he was trying to keep it a secret, but the boy came to where we had the mermaid hidden one night and said he was there to take him home. I let him, though I didn’t know if he was truly there for that,” Gou admitted, shame crossing her face. “I just didn’t want the child to be in the palace for someone to find.”

 

Sousuke reached up through the net and tried to wipe away her tears, though only more water was left in his finger’s wake. She looked at him in surprise, pursing her lips as her chin began to tremble. He let his hand fall back down and smile at her small but genuine.

 

“Thank you,” he said, feeling a melancholy in his heart as he realized who she had saved. “Thank you for saving him, and taking good care of him. Did he die scared?”

 

“No,” Gou said, taken aback by his words. “He died in his sleep with Makoto by his side. I don’t think he realized he was dying.”

 

“Then you have saved him. Thank you, and I thank you for Kisumi. I know Kisumi must know you helped his brother.”

 

Gou’s eyes went wide, the whites of her eyes visible as she stared at the other, hands trembling as she brought them down to the edge of the tank. Her knuckles were white as she gripped at the metal frame. “You knew him?”

 

“I did.”

 

“May I ask his name?”

 

“Hayato.”

 

“Hayato,” she repeated before bursting out into tears. She grabbed Sousuke’s hand as she cried, holding it to her face as she sobbed. “All of this time and I never knew his name.”

 

“You helped return him to the sea,” Sousuke added, trying to comfort her. “Knowing you all, he was happy I know. You were all kind and gentle with him. He was saved.”

 

“We didn’t save him, though. We let him die,” Gou insisted, choking through her tears. Sousuke shook his head, squeezing her hand tighter.

 

“He was not alone. He was not scared. You saved him. He is at peace with the ocean now. There is no need for your tears, Gou.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://www.melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Very brief but clearly implied live “dissection”. Nothing explicit and nothing described much more than Sousuke feeling some pain! It isn’t any worse than going for a small operation without anesthesia but I thought I should warn people just in case.

“RinRin is doing much better Sou, his fever has gone down. The doctor says he might even wake up soon,” Nagisa explained, taking back the bucket of fish Sousuke had finished eating. “But there’s some bad news too. It’s been a week now so they’re not waiting for RinRin’s orders. The advisors are ordering Rei to work on you now.”

 

Sousuke nodded, knowing that he would have to meet the land witch sometime after his identity was discovered. From what little he knew of Rei he was aware that he was someone who thought a great deal, and was interested in discoveries, but he was also Rin’s friend. He was sure that the other would try not to be cruel if he could be allowed to. Nagisa stepped down off the ladder he was on as large guards came and undid the ropes on the service side. Using blunt metal hooks, they grabbed Sousuke and pulled him out, tying him down to a moving cart. Sousuke did not struggle, though he saw the anger in Nagisa’s eyes at how he was being treated.

 

He had thanked Nagisa for his understanding before, but tried to talk to him less in front of others, knowing how it looked. Even the princess was cautious when meeting with him, knowing it’d be bad for them all if she was found talking to him freely. Still, without shame Nagisa followed them as Sousuke was rolled away from the tank and down the service halls. These halls were far less grand than those members of the courts used. Just dusty stone and barely lit with tiny windows and oil lamps.

 

When they stopped Sousuke heard the clicking of a door opening and he was rolled into a bright room of sun-yellow. It was large and full of small glass cups and things he did not recognize. A smaller glass tank sat at one side with little tropical fish swimming inside. Sousuke was lifted up by many men and placed on a cold stone table before being strapped down again.

 

“Doctor Ryugazaki, we will be waiting outside these doors. Please refrain from loosening the specimen’s restraints.”

 

“Of course,” Rei answered, stepping up from his desk. “Hazuki if you could please stay, I will need an assistant.”

 

“Sure Rei! Your other one pass out again?”

 

“It seems he does not do well with these things,” Rei said, though his eyes kept glancing to the men who then left, closing the door behind them. “Nagisa I’m afraid there is no getting out of this. If we do our lives will be forfeit, or at the very least mine will.”

 

“But we can’t just dissect him! He only saved RinRin, he loves him Rei,” Nagisa pressed. Rei nodded, understanding with a deep frown. He turned to Sousuke and sat down on a stool next to him.

 

“I am very sorry, Sousuke. I wish there was any other way, but I will need to do some experiments to you as it is written in our laws that you must be tested. If I can in anyway make this less painful for you I will,” Rei continued pushing up his glasses. Sousuke closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

 

“If this is what Rin needs of me then so be it.”

 

Nagisa and Rei did not respond, though Sousuke could hear them moving about the room, grabbing things. Eventually he felt a hand on his arm and looked up to see Nagisa. Nagisa smiled at him before looking at Rei, eyebrows furrowed and worrying his bottom lip.

 

“If I may make a small incision and remove some of your—lower half I think I can get away with just a small amount of pain. I will immediately administer first aide but I do not know how it will work out seeing as you are unlike what I have seen before. Will you be able to heal?”

 

“I will,” Sousuke answered, only catching a small bit of that.

 

“Sou, if you want to bite down on this,” Nagisa said, handing him a twisted rag. Sousuke shook his head closing his eyes and gripping the stone slab he was strapped to.

 

“Begin. I will be fine.”

 

“If you are ready then,” Rei answered, though his voice went high at the end. Sousuke clenched up and thought of Rin’s smile when they were young. The sound of the ocean waves hitting the lagoon as they played as children. He could see the shine of his teeth reflecting the sun as they swam in the shallow waters.

 

Pain struck him and Sousuke squeezed tighter, forcing his thoughts on Rin.

 

He thought of how Rin would sneak him snacks from his summer home. That they’d lay on the beach and soak up the sun together all day. He thought of how Rin would try to teach him their words so they could communicate. Sousuke felt his body began to quake under the unnatural pressure against his skin but he held himself as still as he could.

 

Rin’s voice when he asked him to stay. Sousuke thought of how wonderful it would be if they were living differently, if Rin wasn’t cursed. If Sousuke could love Rin freely and without the restrictions the world had given him. If he had been able to stop Rin from leaving that day.

 

“Sousuke, Sousuke are you okay?” Nagisa called and Sousuke opened his eyes, feeling sharp and little tugs on his body. “Rei’s sewing you up now so you’ll be okay! You’re okay right? That must have hurt a lot, but Rei only took a little. I’m so sorry Sousuke.”

 

“Nagisa, it’s okay,” Sousuke interjected, looking at him. He felt safer not knowing what the land witch was doing to him, or what those painful little tugs were. “I am okay.”

 

Nagisa teared up a bit but nodded. “RinRin won’t stand for this when he wakes up. After that you’ll be free from this. He’ll change it.”

 

“I don’t know about that,” Rei commented, though a glance towards the other let Sousuke know that he too was crying. “The prince Rin has a pretty strong grudge against mermaids.”

 

“Rei don’t talk like that! There’s no way RinRin will hate Sousuke just because he’s a mermaid he—he just won’t okay. I just know it!” Nagisa continued, tripping up on his words. 

 

“Sousuke,” Rei said, ignoring Nagisa’s words. “I will try and do my best to experiment as much as I can on these samples, but there will be a time when I am ordered to take more. It would be in all of our best interest if we found you a way out of here.”

 

“Can’t leave,” Sousuke said, knowing what he was saying. “I have to know Rin is alright.”

 

They both started crying then, and Sousuke smiled gently at them, knowing he could not make them understand why they should not feel remorse. He would be happy as long as he knew Rin was alright, the tests do not scare him. He would do anything to be useful to Rin.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

That morning things were not looking up for him. The day started quiet, but then the sound of many feet walking towards him had woken him from his daze. He saw a large crowd followed by guards walking to him. It was a matter of mere seconds before his day went from the same monotonous and worrisome life style it had become to something far worse.

 

Sousuke and the fish coward on one side, Sousuke’s head aching at the sound of the obnoxious tapping and banging on the other side. Noblemen and their families all lined up against the tank, trying to get a glimpse of him. It was disturbing, but Sousuke could deal with it when they were just looking, but then the tapping started and it wouldn’t stop. The soundwaves irritating in a way Sousuke hadn’t realized they could be.

 

He watched them watch him, and tried to imagine he was far away. Deep in the ocean swimming freely in the open sea. The thoughts were quickly dispelled by more rapid tapping against the glass before he felt a disturbance in the water. He turned around and saw a hand sticking down and followed it up and out, happy to see Nagisa standing there on the service side’s ladder.

 

“Sou,” Nagisa sighed in relief, staring down at the other side. “I’m sorry about the kids, their parents are so rich there’s nothing I could do to stop them.”

 

“It is alright,” Sousuke answered, though he felt the signs of exhaustion within him. He was tired, no sleep or rest reaching him as he waited for news of his prince. “How is Rin?”

 

“He almost woke up this morning! But he went back to bed right after. The doctor doesn’t know whether to call that waking up though,” Nagisa replied, pulling up a bucket of fish for Sousuke. “I’m sorry about all this. They really didn’t waste any time in inviting everyone here to see you.”

 

“Doesn’t matter, is the princess well? She has not come by,” Sousuke informed him, worried about the other. Nagisa’s face squished up and he sighed, leaning against the tank.

 

“Well Gou is with her mother. You haven’t met the queen yet, have you? No one really does. She spends most of her time in her room now.”

 

“Why? Is she unwell?” Sousuke asked, surprised that he had not asked about Rin’s mother before.

 

“There was an accident while they were traveling. The horses of their carriage went wild and, well, she doesn’t like anyone seeing her scars,” Nagisa answered sighing. “I told her she looks beautiful still, but I think a part of it is she doesn’t want the people seeing her. If they remember her as she was she’ll be happy.”

 

“Neither side is safe,” Sousuke mused to himself, grimacing as he thought of what could have happened.

 

“Safe? Hm, I guess that’s true. Gou is the only one who hasn’t gotten into an accident but that’s because she’s always aware of everything! Do you know she’s the only Matsuoka who doesn’t know how to swim? She never wanted to learn. It’s strange isn’t it? All Matsuokas love the water,” Nagisa babbled on, trying to reach down to get the bucket which was slowly sinking after taking in water.

 

Sousuke grabbed the bucket, live fish swimming away. He picked it up and handed to the other through the net and Nagisa smiled at him. “Thank you.”

 

“Huh? Oh don’t worry about it! I’d rather feed you than have someone else do it. Besides we wouldn’t get to talk if I didn’t,” Nagisa continued, noticing how time was running short for them. “I should be getting back to Rei now. He’s trying his best to take his time right now, but I know it’s hard to fake it. I gotta bring him some food too. You know he never takes care of himself when he's doing things like that. It's always up to me to make sure he's taking care of himself!”

 

“You should go to him,” Sousuke said with a nod, knowing the other's fondness for the land witch. Nagisa stopped his frantic movements then, pulling his lips into his mouth and staring at him.

 

“Sousuke, I really am sorry. This will be happening for a few more days, but soon it’ll be over. When Rin wakes up everything will be alright, I know it. He—he really cares about you. You have to trust me okay? This is just a bad dream. Everything will be over when Rin wakes up.”

 

“Thank you, Nagisa.”

 

“I’m serious Sou!” Nagisa insisted, a blinding smile on his face. “When RinRin wakes up it’ll be like a fairytale ending! Everything will work out, because that’s what lo—life is about. Uhm, I got to go now though, the guards are going to come in if I take too long. Just sit tight okay? Things will be okay soon!”

 

Sousuke said nothing more but waved him goodbye as he left, something that Nagisa had taught him. As the once lively boy left the room, solemn and with no bounce in his step, Sousuke turned around and looked at the crowd of people still there. He saw silver darting around his cage and thought he should eat. It would, hopefully, appease the small land children long enough to distract them from their incessant tapping.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

“Rin has woken up.”

 

Sousuke let out a sigh of relief, letting his head hit the glass in front of him as he relaxed. He stared down at Haru and Makoto who had come only after all visitors had left. No guards were with them, and the halls were silent and empty, making it easier to hear the soft spoken two. Sousuke’s hands held onto the cold metal frame, trying to ground himself as the fear of losing Rin finally reached him.

 

“He is okay,” Sousuke reassured himself, knowing now it was not wishful thinking. It was not hope, but truth he spoke. Makoto offered a small, but remorseful smile and Sousuke knew there was more to it.

 

“Sousuke, seeing as Rin is alright, even though he is confined to his bed. Well, we think it is time you return to your home,” Makoto confessed, his eyes drooping low. “You aren’t safe here, and there is no telling what Rin will think of you now. He has gone through a lot, you must understand. In his eyes you and your kind took his father from him. Even if it is not true, we have tried to give reason to it before, but many Matsuokas have suffered their fates on the sea.”

 

“I will not leave,” Sousuke insisted, stubborn and resulted with his choices. He would see Rin, even if there was disgust and hate within his love’s eyes. He would not abandon Rin, not even to save himself from tortures worse than what he had been warned as a child.

 

“You must Sousuke, they will experiment on you, they will torture you. And when all is done, should you live that long, they will kill you. They will use you in any way they can because that is what has been written in our laws for generations. The first king of the Matsuoka line wrote that mermaids were to be captured alive for this purpose. And when they no longer had any use alive the kingdom will find use in their death,” Makoto yelled, voice echoing in the hall. Haru had grabbed onto his arm, frantic eyes on Makoto who looked crazed. There was fear in his eyes and genuine concern in his voice, but Sousuke could not shy away from death if it was for Rin.

 

“Thank you, you have shown me concern. I heard from Gou what you both did for Hayato, and I’m grateful for it,” Sousuke answered. His heart was hard within his chest as he saw the two of them rear back, not taken by surprise by his words. “You have been a friend to us, showing us kindness. But I cannot leave Rin’s side.”

 

“But why? He is safe now, and if that’s what you wished to know, you know it now,” Makoto sniffled, frustrated and sad tears forming in his eyes. Sousuke laughed a little and how easy humans seemed to do the gesture. He remembered Rin’s first explanations of it, how they were of intense emotions one could not keep in. Sousuke almost wished he too had the ability to release such painful feelings.

 

"What draws you to him? How have you formed such a strong bond with Rin when we have not known of you?" Haru asked, stepping forward.

 

“Rin is condemned by the sea. He will die there if left to his own. It is a magic on him and his family,” Sousuke explained.

 

“A curse?” Haru hummed, looking intrigued by the thought. Sousuke’s eyes saw none of his normal aggressiveness showing and decided to trust in Rin's friends.

 

“Made by the witch. Different than your land witch, there is no sciences in the sea. There is magic, and powerful magic in the witch,” he continued. “It is a sea witch who cursed Rin.”

 

“But why Rin? What did he do wrong?” Makoto asked, stressing his words. He grabbed the hem of Haru’s shirt. “Why must he die at sea?”

 

“Your people have forgotten maybe, or maybe you did not know. The king you speak of, the one who spoke first of mermaids. It was he who fell in love with one of our kind, and it was he who caused the magic on their family,” Sousuke clarified, surprised that they did not realize it. “Is there no story of this?”

 

“There are only stories of how mermaids are cruel creatures,” Makoto said though his tone was apologetic.

 

“What do you know of this curse? How can we trust what you say?” Haru pressed him, looking up at Sousuke with cold and serious eyes. Sousuke frowned but did not try to defend himself, knowing the other to be stubborn with his acceptance of him.

 

“It has been told among us. The mermaid, as you call us, fell for the land walker. They say they were promised to each other and he left her, but that I do not know. All that is told to us is that her love was changed by a great betrayal, and she was changed. Your king hurt her,” Sousuke continued, recalling the story.

 

“She wanted revenge,” Haru stated and Sousuke stared at him, not recognizing the word.

 

“She wanted his love. She became changed though, in her pain, and her love became a terrible thing. Her wish for him to return to her became a magic that would pull him back to the sea to die. It is in their family to die at the hands of the ocean.”

 

“All of them?” Makoto asked, shock clear in his upturned eyebrows and gaping mouth.

 

“Yes,” Sousuke answered with a nod. “Did not many die by the sea?”

 

“Many of the Matsuoka line has died by accident on the ocean, yes,” Haru confirmed, eyes gazing down. “Rin has had many accidents in the ocean as well.”

 

“He must stay away from it, it will kill him,” Sousuke warned, pulling himself closer to the edge. “He will die by it, he loves it and it calls to him. He will die by it just like others.”

 

“And you have been protecting him from it?” Makoto asked in wonder. “Answer what Haru had asked before. Please, tell us, how did you meet Rin? We have known him all our lives and I have never heard of you.”

 

“Secret, Rin said it was our secret. We met when I was hurt, a long time ago. He saved me and it was then I became friends. He is marked with the ocean,” Sousuke explained pointing at his teeth. “These are shaped in the likeness of the sea witch who had put magic on them. It is one thing that shows this.”

 

“His teeth are strange, we had never seen anything like it,” Makoto confessed. “And you are saying this is a mark from the sea witch? That it is a sign he will die?”

 

“It was not her meaning to kill, but her love hurts them. She grew the hate between those on land and our people, so she is trapped. But it is not her hate that made them sharp, but her love. She wished for her the king to leave this place and return to the sea with her.”

 

“So it is her love that has made him like that? But why?”

 

Sousuke shook his head, for he did not know. He knew that there were signs to know who died by her hands, and they were little signs. Little things about those who came from the Matsuoka line who held her likeness. It was Rin’s teeth that so obviously showed resemblance to her smile that he knew it was her powers on him. His misfortune with the sea but his love and lack of fear of it made it all the more obvious.

 

“You must keep him from the sea. It will kill him,” Sousuke said after a moment of silence. Haru and Makoto who quietly looked between themselves. “Promise me this.”

 

“We will do our best to keep him from it, but he will likely not listen,” Makoto sighed. “But we thank you for explaining this. If Rin would only see us, then maybe he would understand his danger.”

 

“He is not seeing you?” Sousuke asked, a violent shudder reaching his heart. Makoto turned away from him then and Haru stared up at him before grabbing Makoto and tugging him towards the ext.

 

“He is not seeing anyone,” Haru said as he stopped, not turning back. “We will not ask you again. Will you leave?”

 

“I cannot.”

 

“Then we will no longer ask.”

 

With that the two left, talking in hushed voices as they walked the expanse of the hallway and exiting it. Sousuke sank down into the water, turning onto his side as he pillowed himself against his arm. The sand was hard and large, not so soft as the ocean floor’s. It was larger and rougher, like the sands of the beaches along that coast.

 

It made Sousuke think of the lagoon with its pillow soft sand and clear waters. It’s safety from the ocean which at the time was after both his and Rin’s lives. It was their safe heaven, their secret place to swim and laugh and love the water. A heavy and hollow feeling filled Sousuke’s chest at the memory and he wondered what it felt like to cry.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://www.melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Again some brief but implied and non-explicit mention of Sousuke’s “dissection” which is nothing more than going to a small operation without anesthesia but I will warn for nonetheless.

Sousuke woke to the sound of the large doors opening. His eyes blinked open, waking from his half sleep, unable to rest in such stressful conditions. The sound of the doors of the grand hall were distinct and new. It was only after Sousuke's capture that they started to close the doors, trying to deter any late night visitors. It was rare for him to have a visitor for that very reason, but Sousuke thought of Gou who had yet to visit him that week and rushed to the side of the tank.

 

Peering out into the darkness he saw a little. It was dark in the hall, save for one candlelit lamp swaying in the night as a figure approached him. As it approached the shadows gave way to the candle light and Sousuke’s breath caught when he saw his beloved there walking towards him.

 

Around his head were white bandages, his one arm wrapped up just the same. He had heard from Nagisa of the extent of his physical damage, but seeing it brought a new pain to his chest. He pulled himself up as far as he could when Rin finally stopped in front of him.

 

“Rin,” Sousuke breathed, heart pounding and a lump in his throat.

 

There was silence between them, deafening to the ears. Sousuke could hear his own heartbeat trying to break out of his chest as it went on. There were large and dark bruises along Rin’s body, barely concealed by the thin fabric of his nightshirt. He looked fragile, and broken, as though even a small touch could shatter him in that moment.

 

“It’s true then,” Rin whispered to himself, eyes hidden by the shadow of his hair. Even Sousuke’s eyes could not see him clearly. “You really are one of them.”

 

“Rin, are you alright?” Sousuke whispered, watching as the other swayed on his feet, stumbling to the side just a bit.

 

“You’re one of them, I should have listened to Haru—I,” Rin whispered frantically, tears pouring down his cheeks. “He was right and I—and here I am like a fool in a bad dream. This can’t be real. This isn’t real I must—I must be asleep.”

 

“Rin!” Sousuke called, trying to snap him out of it, seeing his fearful collapse in. The hysterical and quick way in which he spoke was terrifying, Sousuke felt like Rin was drawing away somehow. As though he would lose him within himself.

 

“You,” Rin continued before looking up at him, as though a spell was broken. His eyes finally showed in the light of the lamp, gleaming with hate and tears in his eyes. Sousuke’s words caught in his throat and he tried to still his instinct to swim away from other. He stayed strong and watched as Rin tried to calm himself down, free hand clutching at his head.

 

“You! What do you want from me!? What are you!? Sousuke I—and you’re! How could this—I can’t believe that you’re,” he choked on his tears.

 

“Rin, I’m sorry,” Sousuke pleaded, not knowing what else to say. Rin’s head snapped up then and he dropped the lamp, shattering against the floor and leaving the room in darkness. Before Sousuke’s eyes could adjusted he heard a loud bang against the glass, recognizing Rin’s fist.

 

“SORRY!” He yelled out from the darkness, Sousuke flinching back from the noise and on edge from the powerful beating against the glass. “You’re sorry! You, a mermaid, sorry for what!? Sorry you didn’t kill me before I knew? What was your point of being here—to trick me into returning with you!? Is it because I didn’t die then!? Is it because I didn’t die when your people stole my father from me!?”

 

“Rin,” Sousuke whimpered, body aching as he focused on the furious crying against the glass. Rin had settled down into awful sobs against the tank and Sousuke tried to reach around the tank to grab Rin’s hand, but as it came close Rin threw himself from the tank.

 

“Don’t—Don’t you touch me! You have no right to touch me! I can’t believe I fell—felt friendship for, for a monster,” Rin spat though his voice broke. Loud sounds came from the end of the hallway along with lights rocking back and forth in the darkness.

 

“It’s because of you that he’s dead! It’s because of you and your people that my family suffers—my kingdom suffers! What did we do to you!? What do you want from us!? If you wanted to kill me you should have done it quick, or is this your way of luring people to their deaths? With—with promises of something more,” he cried, hiccups and harsh breathing choking him.

 

Rin clutched at his head and groaned, doubling over as a servant caught him in their arms. They helped him stand up and turned him away. A maid standing in front of them with fierce hatred in her eyes as she held up her lamp to shine light onto Sousuke. Sousuke’s eyes burned with the change, blinking as the fire was brought close to him, lighting up his view too fast.

 

“You monster, leave his highness alone! Stop talking to him with your wicked and deceitful tongue! Can’t you see the pain you have caused him!?” she cried out, going forward only to be stopped by a large guard, pulling her back and from the tank. They were already leading Rin away from him, but he couldn’t leave it as it was. Panicked to make things right Sousuke swam to the corner of the tank, watching the other’s retreating back.

 

“Rin, please listen! I never wanted this! I would never hurt you,” Sousuke cried out. Before he could say more guards were upon him, slamming at the glass hard and loud, forcing Sousuke to flinch away.

 

They had their weapons clenched in their hands and Sousuke swam away to the other side, watching as others cleaned up the broken glass of Rin’s lamp. Sousuke curled around himself in the back of the tank, lifeless and brokenhearted. He should have left, he thought, watching the guards and servants leave him in the darkness. Their lights grew further and further away until the sound of the large doors slamming shut shook his heart.

 

He shouldn’t have come there.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke stared up at the seams of rocks above them, all carefully placed together in an arching ceiling. It was a bright room, lit by three thin slits of windows on one side pouring light onto mirrors. The sun shining through in bright rays a painful reminder that another day had come. The sounds of Rin’s cries still fresh in his ears, his eyes tired with a heavy burden as they tried to stay open. He had not slept, did not bother to eat. He had no will to, not anymore.

 

“Sou, you look as though you are crying,” Nagisa whispered at his side, holding his hand. “Does it hurt that much?”

 

Sousuke shook his head, though the pain was no laughing matter. Forcing himself to be still for such procedures was somehow more physically taxing than getting hurt out in the ocean. At least there he could pull away, try to prevent himself from injury, but here under the hands of the land witch and the other of the law he had to remain still. He did not want to cause issues for Rei who was doing his best to refrain from hurting him too much.

 

“I’m sorry Sousuke, please wait just a bit longer and will be done. It is unfortunate that I needed to take more, but I am under orders, you understand. If I could stop this,” Rei whispered, the wish for forgiveness clear in his voice. Sousuke could hear the remorse in his of the other and said nothing, feeling his body giving up on him. The quivering stopped and soon he was truly still. The cold pressure of the medical instruments leaving and being replaced with a warm and wet cloth.

 

“Soon things will be okay Sou, Rin woke up recently. Once he’s back to his old self you won’t have to deal with this anymore,” Nagisa assured, though there was no confidence in his voice.

 

Makoto and Haru’s words rang in Sousuke’s ears and he knew the truth, that this would not end. That his presence in the palace was only detrimental to Rin’s emotional wellbeing. Even as a test subject Rin would not be satisfied with him now, not after the broken trust. If he had just turned himself in as a regular mermaid maybe Rin would have been happy with him, but Sousuke had tricked him and Rin would never forgive him for that. Not when he had been tricked into befriending a mermaid. Not when his family had died so many times by the hands of the curse.

 

“I’m afraid that that won’t happen. Rin does not want me anymore,” Sousuke said, clenching his eyes as he felt the painful tugs again, though the throbbing in his heart was more painful. “I need to leave here. It seems I will no longer be useful to Rin like this.”

 

“Sou?” Nagisa asked, hand squeezing him. “What are you talking about? Of course RinRin wants you. Don’t be so rash! I really think RinRin would want to see you first, before you try to return home!”

 

“He did see me, and he was in pain,” Sousuke informed him turning his head away from the other.

 

“What?” Nagisa asked, not wanting to believe his words. “But why would that be so! RinRin he—you are his friend Sousuke!”

 

“He does not see me as a friend anymore. I need to leave. He will only feel pain when he sees me. If I am in the ocean than at least I may be useful to him there. I can protect him from the water there,” Sousuke admitted. He looked up into Nagisa’s eyes, glazed over as he watched him. “You have been a good friend to me Nagisa, but I'm afraid I do not deserve it.”

 

“Sousuke—you don’t understand! I’ll talk to Rin don’t worry so just—just don’t worry okay? I promise this has to be a big mistake!”

 

“Nagisa,” Rei warned in a stern voice. “Sousuke, it would be an honor to help you escape this place. If you are in the water than perhaps are prince will at least be safe from accidents there, and you yourself can return to your home and family.”

 

Sousuke did not bother correct him, not wanting to upset the two any further. He covered his eyes with his free arm, left unrestrained thanks to Rei’s kindness. He felt an overwhelming feeling of sorrow in his heart remembering the pain in Rin’s eyes. He bit as his lip, trying to calm himself.

 

“I am a fool for having come here,” Sousuke whispered. “But I thank you both for wanting to help me.”

 

“You are not a fool Sousuke! You are kind and wonderful, and RinRin should realize this! If only he’d talk to us,” Nagisa cried out in frustration. “I know if he’d just talk to us we could explain it to him! You love him, don’t you? I see it—I know you do! And Rin—Rin needs to know that! You can’t just leave before telling him!”

 

He said nothing but he squeezed Nagisa’s hand back, knowing it to be one of the first reassuring gestures he had learned of the land walkers. He could still see Rin and him holding hands as they laid on the beach at night and watched the stars. Those memories of happiness were gone from Rin’s mind, and now, thanks to him, even these new happy memories were soiled by his betrayal. If he had been born one of them, he mused in his despair, maybe things could have been different for them.

 

“Nagisa, I can’t stay here any longer,” Sousuke declared. “Please help Rin forget me.”

 

“But Sousuke,” Nagisa whimpered, tears welling up. He shook his head back and forth. “I will help you, if that’s what you want. But I won’t help RinRin forget, he has forgotten so much already!”

 

“These are not good things, it would be best if he did forget,” Sousuke sighed, but didn’t push it any further.

 

“We will help you escape in the early morning, tomorrow. The sooner we can the easier it will be, but I must warn you Nagisa, if we are caught we will be sentenced to death,” Rei interjected. “We could die doing this.”

 

Nagisa quieted down, the arguments clearly written on his face settling into a solemn frown. He looked at Sousuke and again at Rei, nodding. He reached over Sousuke and grabbed Rei’s hand, looking him dead in the eyes.

 

“I’ll do it. We can run away together then Rei! We’ll live far away from this country, somewhere far away,” Nagisa insisted. “We’ll find a place that loves mermaids, and we can see Sousuke then too!”

 

“If you can get me to the ocean, I can help lead you somewhere else. If you find a boat I can take you to a faraway place,” Sousuke added. “As thanks for your kindness I will not leave you here.”

 

“Then it’s settled,” Rei mumbled to himself, gazing at his workshop before smiling at Nagisa. “You always wanted to live an adventurous life.”

 

Nagisa launched himself across the table, pulling Rei into a hug. Sousuke turned away from them, knowing it to be an important moment between the two. Their decision was no light one, and they could never turn back from it once they started. Sousuke felt shame for bringing this upon them as well, wishing he had not been so foolish, wishing he had listened to his friend’s warnings.

 

“And so we will! We’ll bust Sou out of here and go live like the wild men from stories! We’ll have to learn how to fish and cook and scavenge, it will be great!”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke swam around the small tank uselessly, waiting in anticipation for Nagisa and Rei’s arrival. It was still dark out, the moon high in the sky and illuminating the room. The fear for their safety was stronger than his own, knowing how much they were sacrificing for him. Should they fail it was likely they would all end up dead. Although Sousuke did not care about his fate, he did not want to condemn the two of them to that when they had only been kind to him.

 

He imagined what Kisumi would say when he’d return only to ask more favors of his friend. He did not know where he should take Rei and Nagisa, but he knew that there were many islands far north they could reside on. Getting to them was a different matter, as he often lost track of land. He wondered what Kisumi would think when he’d bring him to meet two land walkers willing to accept their presence in the sea. He smiled, small and with little mirth in it.

 

The light of the sky began to brighten and Sousuke felt restless and impatient as he waited for his friends. He did not know what time it was or when they would come. By his estimation there was still many hours before daybreak, despite the last bit of summer sun trying it’s best to brighten the deep blue of the night sky. There were no clouds above, the starts visible even from where he remained.

 

He heard the door open and swam to the front, surprised that it was not on the servant side but the grand hall. He looked out to see not two, but one figure walking with a lamp in hand. He carefully broke the water surface, trying to hear who it was. The stranger said nothing, nor did they walk with that steadfast skip in their step. They were staggering as they walked, and a growing suspicion became fearful realization as he saw Rin’s eyes on him.

 

“I thought the gleam of your eyes were enchanting,” Rin said as he stepped up to the tank, some feet away from him. “Now I see it was just remains of your real form.”

 

“Rin, it is not safe for you to be here,” Sousuke whispered, watching the other’s unstable form. Rin scowled at him, disgust clear.

 

“And what does that matter to you? Now listen to me, you’ll answer my questions. Tell me, the mermaid you were found with, that was your friend was it not?”

 

“Yes, he was,” Sousuke gulped, not knowing what the other wanted. Rin felt so cold, his posture, his words. So different from the one he loved.

 

“You spoke of a boy who taught you our language, that means you were here once before, in my kingdom, yes?” Rin asked, holding his head.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Who was he?” Rin continued, catching himself as he swayed too far to one side.

 

“Rin please,” Sousuke begged, watching the other with fear in his eyes. “Please go back.”

 

“How did you have legs to walk on land? Can all of you do this?”

 

“No,” Sousuke said, shaking his head, “it is a magic. The magic broke when I touched the sea water again. No one but the sea witch may give us legs. But Rin, that’s not important. You do not look well, please go back.”

 

“Sea witch?” Rin questioned, ignoring him before waving it off, hold his head tighter. “Why did you come here to me? What is your purpose here?”

 

“To be by your side, Rin,” Sousuke confessed, watching as the other began to sway. “Rin please, go sleep. You are hurt and sick.”

 

“You! Be quiet—don’t you tell me what to do. I’m fine,” Rin argued, though he began to wobble. “Be with me? What is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell me that you have feelings for me? Can mermaids feel such human emotions?”

 

“I want to be useful to you Rin, please,” Sousuke begged. “Please Rin, can you really not see that? Can you really not know that?"

 

"How am I supposed to know that when you are all monsters out to kill me an my family?" Rin spat, though his voice was quiet and with little bite.

 

"I did not hurt your father, and I did not try to hurt you, I would never hurt you. Please, Rin, remember me! Believe me!”

 

“DON’T! Talk about my father! Don’t talk to me about remembering,” Rin yelled then, though he staged forward, managing to throw out an arm he fell to his knees, head hanging low.

 

He sat the lamp beside him and began to wretch, one hand keeping him steady as the other curled around his stomach. The contents of his stomach began to spill across the floor and Sousuke went into a panicked frenzy, swimming around with powerful and frantic strokes.  The water began to beat against the glass walls, being pushed up and spilling down the sides of the tank as he pulled at the ropes, trying to undo them. Sousuke saw Rin’s look of horror as the ropes snapped up, a small opening made by his terrifying strength.

 

Sousuke grabbed the edge of the tank and pulled himself up onto it, ignoring the searing pain across his abdomen. He squeezed between the loose ropes and metal frame, falling to the ground with a loud thud. Rin scrambled back, trying to get away but Sousuke was quicker and a silent scream fell from Rin’s lips as Sousuke took him in his arms and laid him down.

 

“HELP! PLEASE!” Sousuke yelled down the hall, holding Rin close to him. He looked down at the other and brushed away his hair holding him close. Rin watched with wide and terrified eyes as the other continued to yell for help. “PLEASE! HELP! HE NEEDS HELP!”

 

Rin tried to struggle away after a moment of still fear but Sousuke held him down, keeping him flat against the cold floor. “Please Rin, don’t move. Be better, get better. You are not well. You cannot die!”

 

The sound of guards yelling caused Rin to cover his ears, though he tried to keep his eyes open at Sousuke who was gazing down at him, fearing for him. He wished he had never come, if he had not come Rin would not be ill and walking about, he would be safe in his bed getting better. Sousuke cursed himself in his own tongue as he held a cold hand against Rin’s forehead.

 

As quick as Sousuke had reached him he was wrestled away, Sousuke struggling against the guards to get a good view of Rin. As they took him away he felt a sharp pain in his side and hissed, looking down to see the gash across his side from escaping the tank. He heard the curses of the guards as they called for Rei to come and stitch him up and wondered how he would escape when he had ruined his biggest chance.

 

He laid on the cold floor as the servants tried to figure out how to fix the damage Sousuke had done on the net. Giving up Sousuke waited and when he looked above him he saw the light of the morning sky finally beginning to break through. Outside night was ending. Nagisa and Rei would be coming for him somehow and they’d be far away from this soon. Rin would no longer needlessly hurt himself by coming to see him while he was sick, and everything would be alright again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://www.melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: The POV switches half way through the chapter, but the chapter is only split into two parts. Thought I’d just mention that in case anyone got confused but it was the only way this story would write lmao

Rin groaned into his pillow as the doctor packed up to leave again. Though he had felt a terrible and overwhelming headache earlier he was feeling better after vomiting. It was as though a pressure was released and though it’s taste was vial he would do it again if it would get the pounding of his head to stop. But still his mind was trying hard to make sense of complicated things.

 

It was hard enough to deal with Sousuke’s betrayal. The truth that he was that which the whole kingdom despised was already too much, but the care with which he handled him before. He was terrified, frozen in fear as he saw Sousuke rip through his confinements and come to him. Yet, despite his displays of power, when Sousuke reached him he had laid him down, holding him there with gentle hands that he could not make sense of. The sound of his voice shouting for help still rang in his ears, powerful and loud, increasing his headache tenfold.

 

“Your highness, if you’d please refrain from getting out of bed. If this should happen again I am afraid that it is my duty to suggest guards to keep you here. I need not remind you what should happen should you hit your head again so close to your accident," the doctor warned, angry with Rin’s rashness. Rin hummed, but made no promises.

 

He knew the danger of it, knew it as the first thing he could remember in that world. The aching of his head and how he was not to get into any more accidents or else he could lose his life. He had not had something so serious since his childhood, but he did not take it lightly. Still, he could not leave Sousuke alone until he got answers.

 

Rin placed his hands over his head as the doctor left, the coolness of his fingers helping calm the fire there. He felt sick and his body felt drained of all its strength. He wondered about the boy Sousuke had talked about, who could have possibly befriended a monster in such times. His heart ached when he thought about it, but he could not tell why. Pity for the child? Anger towards Sousuke? And what of that boy? Where was he now?

 

Rin’s heart chilled as he skin prickled with the memory of Sousuke’s hands on his face. Memories of the other putting his hair behind his ears flooding the lids of his eyes. He clenched them shut and grunted in pain as the pounding in his head resounded in his ears, but behind that he could hear the sound of ocean waves. He held his breath as he remembered their sound, and Sousuke’s gentle hands brushing back his wind tousled hair. The feeling of sand beneath them warm and inviting.

 

“Sand?” Rin whispered, opening his eyes. He sat up and held his head, wondering how he could be mixing his memories at a time like that. The only time they had been to the beach was when he had found Sousuke, there in the hands of a mermaid. In the hands of his kind, he reminded himself.

 

There was no knock on the door before it was thrown open, Gou storming through. Rin only had time to look before she through her arms around him, hugging him tight. All breath left him, the pinch of his ribs a sharp and painful.

 

“You reckless fool of a brother! Why would you go out when you are sick!? And why are you ordering us to stay away!? Rin you have to listen to me and stop pushing us away! Things are not always as you see them!”

 

“Gou, leave,” Rin begged, pushing her away with tired arms. “How did you get in here? I told them to keep you out.”

 

“And they did until you pulled this! What if you had hit your head!? How could you do that to mom and I!? Don’t we matter at all?” she cried, voice breaking near the end. Her fists came up to beat against her his chest but faltered when she saw the bandages there. “We can’t lose you too!”

 

“You aren’t going to lose me Gou,” Rin stuttered, taken aback by her words.

 

“We are! And all because you are a fool who will not listen to us! Your distortions of the past and lack of trust in us has skewed your view of right and wrong, and now Sousuke must suffer because of that!” Gou cried, standing up and red faced in her furry. Rin shot up, anger growing within his heart at his sister’s words, but before he could say anything two more entered his room unannounced.

 

“He’s gone,” Haru said. Rin’s heart stopped and he stumbled out of bed, throwing on his shoes with enough force to make him dizzy as he grabbed onto Makoto’s shoulder.

 

"And where are you going now brother?" Gou called, voice stern and quiet. "To stop a monster from returning to the sea? To be even more foolish and risk your life again?"

 

"Gou," Rin pleaded turning to her with desperate eyes. Gou whipped her eyes and turned from her brother, sitting on his bed.

 

"Go and see him, but please brother, think about what that means," she said with a finality that had Rin running out the door. He could not think of what it means, for he was running out of time.

 

“When did he escape? How did this happen!?” Rin asked, emotional whiplash making him frantic as he started running down the halls with Makoto who was leading them out of the palace.

 

“To the beach we think! Rei and Nagisa are missing, and he’s gone from the tank,” Makoto explained as they pulled Rin into a carriage. Haru took the reins, leaving the regular servants behind. “But Rin what will you do when you see him? What are your orders?”

 

“My orders?” Rin choked, not knowing what to say to him. All he knew was the gripping fear over his heart that he’d be gone. Sousuke was leaving him forever, there was no time for him to think about what he’d do when he saw him.

 

“Sousuke, he’s never hurt you Rin,” Makoto explained as they descended the cliffside and down to the beach. Rin bit at his lips with a punishing pace, the processes something to be so slow but it was the only option with him in his current state. “The day you washed up on the beach, it was because of him that you survive.”

 

"What are you trying to tell me Makoto? You and my sister--you both have your agendas and I cannot see. Have you not been warning me against him? Why are you trying to convince me he is not the monster he is?"

 

"Rin, aren't you the one looking for a reason to believe he's not a monster? Why else go through the trouble to see him in the dark of night when no one would know? Why seek him out after his betrayal at all if he is but a monster?" Makoto asked, eyes steadfast and sure.

 

Rin was to startled to say anything but didn’t bother to when he heard Haru shouting to them. Makoto leaned out the carriage and asked him what he had said, voice ringing clear through the morning air that they had spotted a cart on the beach. Without any prompting Haru led their carriage and their poor confused horse onto the beach, slipping in the soft sand. When it came to a stop Rin jumped out before Makoto could stop him, seeing Rei and Nagisa in the distance pulling Sousuke out towards the sea.

 

“Wait!” Rin called, though his throat was rough and dry. Tears stung at his eyes as he watched his retreating form, knowing he could not get there fast enough. He could not yell louder than the sea wind that filled his lunges as he ran towards them, begging them to stop, praying Sousuke would not leave.

 

“Wait!”

 

He saw Nagisa and Rei turn towards him but he came barreling past.  Sousuke was already disappearing under the waves, leaving him behind. He stretched out his arms and pumped his legs as he tried to wade through the water, the waves harsh and pushing him back as he tried to catch up. Before he could think he was swimming out into the open sea with no sign of Sousuke being there any longer.

 

A wave, white capped with frothing foam toppled over him and he went under, head pounding and water seeping into his nose. He choked as he felt himself rolling, not far enough out at sea and too weak to avoid its power. He reached out his hands and legs trying to get a barring of the sand he knew to be not far from him, but the nausea was overpowering.

 

Before he could think of drowning in such shallow waters he felt himself crash into a strong body and being forced towards the shore. When he felt air on his face he sputtered, trying to breathe but having terrible timing as another small wave came crashing over top of them. He felt himself being dragged up the beach and opened his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he felt the water only reaching his legs. The waves now gentle ripples against his skin.

 

“Rin! Rin!” a voice cried and he focused his eyes away from the sun and to the shadowed figure above him, pushing the hair from his mouth and eyes.

 

Rin closed his eyes then and he let out a breath of relief, the memory of sand and beach waves filling him. There was something so familiar about it. The hands against his face was soothing and he felt as though he his mind's constant drumming had begun to slow. He reached up blindly and touched Sousuke’s face, hearing him quiet down at the gesture.

 

“Rin?”

 

His eyes fluttered open at the call, and though he knew he was seeing things, he thought Sousuke looked so much younger then. He loved him, he couldn’t deny it, even knowing the truth, even with the pain. He loved him. It was the pull to him, the reason he could not let him go.

 

Without any further thought Rin brought both hands up to hold Sousuke’s face, cradling it between them. Gently he led him down for a kiss, their lips cold and wet with sea water. He felt a heat then, starting of warm but then becoming so shockingly hot Rin had to let go, eyes snapping open.

 

Gold light surrounded Sousuke, pulsating in his veins and glowing brighter than the morning sun.

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Sousuke’s breath left him, though not at all in the pleasant way it had when Rin’s lips touched his. It was a painful rush of air from his lungs as liquid heat and pain traveled through him. He clenched his eyes shut tight and felt himself choke as he realized he was breathing not through his gills but through his mouth and nose. As the pain subsided he forced his eyes open, looking down and struck still by the sight there.

 

“I have legs,” he whispered in shock before turning to Rin who was staring up at him. The grin on his face was painful as he dove down again, curling around his love. “I have legs!”

 

“Sousuke!?” Rin asked trying to push him away to look. They sat up and Rin’s face went beat red before his eyes flew up to his. “You have legs! But how!?”

 

“It worked Rin,” Sousuke answered, kissing the other. He felt Rin pull away in shock, a hand gripping at Sousuke’s shoulder. Sousuke looked at him in confusion as Rin shied away from the kiss. “The magic worked, because you love me too it worked. Everything is alright now.”

 

“Love you too?” Rin choked and Sousuke smiled at him, hugging him close. His worry and doubt leaving him as he felt the beating of Rin’s heart against him. It was a fast, stuttered beat that told him all he needed to know.

 

“Yes, she told me if you loved me I could have legs to be with you. I thought the magic was gone because I touched water, but your kiss has worked anyways," Sousuke explained shaking his head in disbelief.

 

"My kiss?" Rin stuttered. "But how?"

 

"Because you love me too. Rin, thank you, thank you,” Sousuke whispered into his neck, squeezing him tight. "I have loved you always, and now you love me too."

 

Rin didn’t respond but he hugged him back, and Sousuke felt warm water against his shoulders. Rin's hands dug deep into Sousuke's skin, but it was not painful, it felt sturdy. Sousuke felt sure that it was Rin wanting to have reassurance that it was real. He knew it had to be, because his nails were gentle though his fingers held a great pressure.

 

“Um, RinRin,” Nagisa called, interrupting them. “Sou is a little, uh, exposed?”

 

“Sousuke, we should get up,” Rin whispered into his side and Sousuke nodded.

 

He stood up and pulled Rin up with him. His heart felt light as he felt Rin’s hands stay on him, holding onto his. Rei walked forward then, coughing into his hand as he handed out the blanket that they used to hide Sousuke. Sousuke grabbed it and wrapped it around Rin without any thought. The action brought laughter and life into Nagisa, and Rin chuckled as well.

 

“The blanket is for you,” Rin insisted, trying to cover him up while keeping his eyes away. “You have to wear clothes, remember?”

 

“But you are cold and sick,” Sousuke countered, pulling the other into his chest. He opened up the blanket and beckoned him in. Despite Rin’s protests he allowed himself to lean against the other. He was dripping wet and his teeth were chattering with how cold it was. Sousuke brushed back Rin’s wet bangs, frowning at the color of his skin, slowly going purple in the sea wind.

 

“You should not have come into the water like that, you could hurt yourself worse.”

 

Rin choked up but nodded, smiling at him and touching his face, mimicking Sousuke though his shaking lips turned into a frown. Sousuke’s smile fell from his face as he watched the troubled expression in his love’s eyes. Sousuke cupped his cheek, feeling the cold and wet skin beneath his hand, willing it to warm up.

 

“Sousuke,” Rin whispered, “the boy you were talking about. The one who saved you, was that—was that me?”

 

Sousuke dropped his hand then and looked away from the other. A weight returned to his chest as he remembered the interrogation and wondered if the truth would only serve to hurt Rin more. He nodded, surprised when he felt a hand grabbing onto his. “He was you, before you got hurt. Before you forgot we would meet at the lagoon many times.”

 

“The lagoon,” Rin mumbled, eyes widening in recognition. “At our summer home.”

 

There was silence as Rin took in the information. He interlaced their fingers and Sousuke’s gaze returned to him, staring into those wide eyes and finding no malice there, no regret or anger. “I was told you had saved me, but you have been watching over me for many years now, haven’t you?”

 

“I have,” Sousuke replied, squeezing his hand. “I will always protect you.”

 

"You'll always protect me," Rin whispered, as though to test out the words himself. He looked up into his eyes and Sousuke felt both anxious and enthralled by the look within him. He felt vulnerable, wondering how long this peace between them could last.

 

“Is it that easy for you to accept this Rin?”

 

They both spun around to see Haru who walked forward with Makoto in tow, both looking with great concern. Makoto was smiling softly at them though there was a sorrow in his eyes. “Are you happy now?”

 

“Haru I—yes,” Rin answered, turning around and putting one hand back in the way Sousuke remembered he would. His heart fluttered as he recognized the sign to protect, Rin was protecting him against his friends. “Even if it’s hard to believe I will believe it.”

 

“Why? Why will you believe it?” Haru pressed and Rin glanced to Sousuke. Sousuke watched him with a questioning eyes and Rin turned away, gazing down at the sands.

 

“Because even if I did not believe it I would still love him,” he said. Sousuke felt his heart swell as he watched Rin look up at his friend, his posture sturdier and more sure then it had been before. Haru smiled at them and looked and Makoto could only grin back, a laugh in his smile.

 

“It won’t be easy to explain all this, Rin,” Makoto warned, but there was only happiness in his eyes as he looked at the two of them. Rin nodded glancing back at Sousuke and reaching for his hand again.

 

“It has never been easy, but I feel better with him than apart. We will figure it out. I will not hand Sousuke over to the hands and eyes of the public, even if it means we need to leave here. And as for the matter of my stepping down, I will only step down if that is what the kingdom decrees best,” Rin declared. Makoto and Haru said no more, but they did give each other strange looks before sighing in unison. Left on their faces were fond smiles and Sousuke knew that Rin had earned their approval, no matter how strange it was.

 

Sousuke observed Rin as he turned to him and pull the blanket further up his shoulders and over his head, drying Sousuke’s hair. Sousuke leaned in and their noses brushed, and Rin kissed him again, quick and fleeting before he wrapped his arms around him. “Will you stay here with me Sousuke? Even after all that has happened—all that might happen to you because of me? You don’t want to return home?”

 

“Rin, you have always been my home.”

 

“Then marry me,” Rin declared, pulling away far enough to look Sousuke in the eyes. “Marry me, Sousuke.”

 

“Marry you?” Sousuke asked, not understanding the word. He heard the exclamations of the others but ignored them, not understanding their outcries.

 

“It’s a promise, a promise that you will love me and stay with me forever,” Rin answered. “And I will promise the same. Truth be told I have been waiting to ask this for quite a while now, but I thought it was too forward of me.”

 

“Rin don’t you think this is a little quick?” Makoto yelled out above the other’s voice, high and strained in Sousuke’s ears. He looked at the others, some with expressions of shock and some with expressions of joy. Nagisa was cheering them on, though he did not know why.

 

“But Rin,” Sousuke hummed, turning to the other. Rin looked up at him, a question in his smile. “Have I not already marry you?”

 

Rin laughed then, light and bubbly and Sousuke smiled though he did not understand what he was laughing about. The others too seemed what he had said amusing, but he did not mind. Rin was beautiful when he laughed, and his cheeks seemed to warm up with the sound. Sousuke smiled and touched Rin's lips as he began to calm down, no longer purple or trembling. Rin kissed his fingers, a red hue dusting his cheeks as he did so, a slow and gentle gesture.

 

“You have promised me all of that, haven’t you? Perhaps I did not word it right,” Rin chuckled. Sousuke dropped his hand and leaned into him, brushing their cheeks and heads together affectionately. He slid his hands along Rin’s arms, marveling in being so close to him. It was as though they were children again and yet so unfamiliar.

 

“I will do this marrying you Rin, if you want me too,” Sousuke answered, ears tingling with the chuckle in his ears. “I will do anything you ask of me.”

 

“Then it is settled. You will marry me in the spring,” Rin promised, laughter on his tongue. “And I will teach you what it means before then. And you must tell me of our shared past, I want to know of it all.”

 

“I will tell you anything that you wish to know," Sousuke promised with a nod before thinking. He gazed at Rin, mulling over his words.

 

"Something the matter?" Rin asked, genuine concern in his eyes and Sousuke's fingers rubbed out the crease of his brow.

 

"If we marry, then that means you have promised to love me, and stay with me as well?” Sousuke whispered, a ghost of a fear in his voice. His grip on Rin tightened as he leaned closer to him, curling around him. “You will not leave?”

 

“Sousuke,” Rin breathed, soft but sure, “I will never leave you again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://www.melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


	12. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is!!!! The end!!!! I hope everyone enjoyed and I hope it really didn’t read as rushed even though I wrote this last half all together like this……. I think writing updating fics really just has me tired out and when I saw I had a few days off I really wanted to get it done finally so that everyone could enjoy the complete story!
> 
> For me, being able to read a story all in one go to avoid too much pain is important and I didn’t want anyone else to suffer that either so here it all is… AND WHAT A SURPRISE IT WAS WRITING IT! I thought this was going to be a mere three, maybe four chapter fic when I first thought of it and here I am… sitting on the longest singular fic I’ve ever written… it’s really something.
> 
> I know that this isn’t my usually super happy fluff fic but it was just a story I had to write, and I hope everyone found it to be as interesting an experience as I did! And even if you didn’t, thank you for sticking with me to the end!!!

“Nervous?” Rin whispered, arm looped around Sousuke’s. Sousuke shook his head though his heart quickened as he saw the small crowd in front of them form a path for them. At the end was a wooden arch where they were to be joined in the traditional land walker way.

 

“There are no cherry blossoms,” Sousuke teased. Although his words were true the pathway before them was littered with their petals, tossed there by their friends and servants.

 

Rin scoffed, but his smile did not leave him as the music began to play. Sousuke smiled as he saw Kisumi resting on the beach of the lagoon, an unexpected but welcomed guest to their wedding. Despite the shock of many of their guests, especially that of Haru and Makoto, he was well received upon his arrival. There was nothing that could ruin this day for him, not with Rin walking him forward to their joining.

 

“And to think that I, a Matsuoka, would be marrying a mermaid,” Rin whispered as the ceremony went on. Sousuke did not pay any mind to the words, not caring to remember them as he knew there meaning, that he and Rin would be together always.

 

“To think that I would be marrying a brat I met all those years ago,” Sousuke answered. Neither of the payed any mind to the scowls on the faces closes to them at their quiet banter. Rin clicked his tongue at him a pout on his face.

 

“You can’t use what I don’t know against me, besides you always speak of my younger self with such fondness. And you’ve become awfully cheeky after learning our language. I liked you better when all you had to say was that you wanted to be useful to me,” Rin hummed, though he did not mean it. Sousuke smiled at him, turning to him as Rin did, hands out reached for his as practiced.

 

“And so, by orders of the Queen of Samezuka, the prince and his beloved are wed, and all crimes and laws against the mermaids shall be disbanded, as commanded by her Highness and written in the New Laws. All bow to his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Samezuka, and his Beloved, so forth he shall be named until a proper title is given to him.”

 

The crowd bowed as Rin and Sousuke turned around, one hand held out together in firm grasps. There rings were heavy, beautiful things with shining gems and amazing metalwork. Even Sousuke admired their beauty, though he thought it rather pointless. Rin stepped forward then, walking them back down the aisle as everyone stood up and clapped, more petals being thrown upon them. When they reached the end Rin turned Sousuke to him and leaned in for a chaste kiss, as tradition in the Matsuoka family.

 

Sousuke cupped his cheek, pulling him close and smile against his lips until he heard a scream. His eyes flew open as he turned to the crowd, seeing their eyes upon them. He turned to Rin and felt his own heart stop as a dark and swirling energy surrounded him. More cries were heard and Sousuke whipped around to see the same surrounding Gou. But just as it arrived it started to seep out of them and sped to the ocean.

 

“What was that!?” Rin yelled, running towards the water. Sousuke followed, hand tightly grasped in his as he stared out to the ocean. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

 

“Brother!?” Gou cried from across the crowd.

 

The sky lit up in a blinding flash of light, brighter than any lightning storm and soundless.

 

“What is going on?” Makoto asked, stepping up beside them, gazing out at the ocean. “I have never seen something so strange, not since you changed, Sousuke.”

 

“More magic?” Rin asked turning to him but Sousuke shook his head, not knowing what it could have been. The sea water began to rise and they all stepped back, even Kisumi swam far to the side, seeing an unnatural wave climbing up in front of them. Just before it swallowed them out of it sprang the sea witch, water falling way to their feet. With gold tendrils in her very being and a bright but sharp smile on her face she stood before them on human legs.

 

“You did it!” she praised in Sousuke’s tongue, she grabbed his hands between hers. “You, my friend, have earned my eternal gratitude, and so I shall pass to you the body of a true human!”

 

“I do not understand,” Sousuke answered, ignoring Rin’s clawing at his arm. “What have I done?”

 

“You have saved me, and them,” she said with an incredulous grin, waving at Rin and Gou. “You have saved us all from the curse of my grandmother. It is your human joining with him, a descendant of her love that has saved us. The two of you have done what she was promised but did not receive. You have shown that humans can love us as they promised, and so the spell is broken. And so is my cage, put onto me, and my mother, until the curse could be broken.”

 

“But that is incredibly unfair, what did you do?” Sousuke asked, eyebrows furrowing and surprised to hear it was not her but her grandmother who was the true sea witch. She shook her head and pressed her hand against his chest, hot pain reached within him and he stared at her as she did the same to Rin. Sousuke’s breath left him as he felt a slow pounding in the left side of his chest, unusual and misplaced. He stared at her as she pulled back smiling at him.

 

“It is in the unfairness of life, but you have saved me from it and so I have given you a give. You are human, through and through. You will not be condemned to die should harm befall you, their human medicines will work on you. But be warned, you shall die when he does, but if you should die he will live on. It is his life that you are borrowing,” she warned before turning to Kisumi.

 

“And you, my poor boy. I shall release you from your duties, and I thank you for your company.”

 

“Thank you,” Kisumi responded, bowing his head as she turned from him.

 

“As I am free to travel the seas I shall leave you all. Be sure to give your love my best, though I do not know the proper way to speak to a ruler of land dwellers.”

 

“Sousuke,” Rin said again, pounding at his chest. “What is she saying? Who is she? And what did she just do to us now?”

 

“She is a sea witch,” Sousuke answered, eyes on her as she smiled at the two of them. “Her curse has been broken because we are wed, which was promised to her grandmother. That dark magic, it must have been your curse.”

 

“Then it is over?” Rin whispered, eyes flickering back to her. She smiled and bowed to them both before turning back to the sea. As she dove into the ocean waves her bodies turned to the scales of many fish. A whole school left in her wake, swimming out of the lagoon and into the ocean.

 

“She has given me a human life, your human life,” Sousuke corrected as he turned to her. “So that I may die when you do, and so that I may live as you do.”

 

“And she leaves just like that!?” Rin balked, baffled by the events. “What did she say just now before she left?”

 

“She wished us well, and told me to give you her best. She is free to travel now and be free of her cage, I do not think she wished to stay to be thanked,” Sousuke replied shaking his head. He saw Rin’s disappointment but Rin did not argue with him, nodding as he looked back out to the sea.

 

“And here I thought nothing could ruin this day,” Rin mumbled.

 

“Was it ruined?” Sousuke asked, his frown deepening. Rin laughed and leaned into his side, looking out at the setting sun.

 

“No, I suppose it was not. Though having that dark magic seep out of me was rather unpleasant. I suppose that means I will not be at risk of the ocean any longer then?”

 

“No, you are free from that fate,” Sousuke breathed in relief, a smile reaching him. “That is good, I have no way in which I can swim to protect you any longer.”

 

Rin hummed kissing him and ignoring the sounds of bewilderment and catcalls behind them. “I suppose that means I’ll be the one saving you then, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://www.melonmachinery.tumblr.com)


End file.
